Utilization Pattern of Oral Hypoglycemic Agents for Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Patients Attending Out-Patient Department at a University Hospital in New Delhi

Diabetes mellitus is the chronic disorder emerging as major world health problem which increases the rate of morbidity and mortality. The aim of the present study was to ascertain patterns of prescription of oral hypoglycemic agents to type 2 diabetic patients attending a university hospital, and to assess patient compliance. A prospective, observational and non comparative study was conducted in 200 established diabetes mellitus type 2 patients attending outpatient department at Majeedia Hospital, New Delhi, India. Prescriptions from registered patients were included in the study. Once the consultation by the physician was over, the prescriptions were reviewed and the patients were interviewed. The information was collected in an inhouse designed documentation proforma. In a pool of 200 type 2 diabetics, more than half were female (n=106, 53%). The mean age of the patients were found to be 50.4 ± 11.7 years and mean body mass index, 25.8 ± 4.4 kg/m2. A total of 432 oral hypoglycemic agents were prescribed to the patients. Highly significant number of patients were prescribed combination therapy, (n=143, 71.5%) as compared to monotherapy (n=57, 28.5%), p-value <0.0001. Biguanides were the most commonly prescribed class of oral hypoglycemic agents, followed by sulphonylureas, thiazolidinediones and α glucosidase inhibitors. Good compliance was seen in only 77.5% of the patients. Metformin was found to be the most commonly prescribed medicine.