Presentation and character for adult patients with diabetes in Libya
Diabetes is a global issue, the diabetes epidemic is expected to continue, and the burden of diabetes
causes catastrophic expenditure for healthcare system. The current study aimed to determine the presentation,
the clinical feature and cardio-vascular risk factors in patients with diabetes. A retrospective observational
study had been conducted in out-patients department at Almustaqpal Almosherq Centre during September,
2013 till September, 2020, the total number of attended out-patients department were 1 024, 820 patients who
were selected for this study. A special perform was completed for every patient, which included details about
patient’s demographics, points in clinical history, relevant investigations and clinical examinations were
recorded. The study reported that out of 820 patients, 66% (n = 538) was female and their age range was
between 14 - 87 years with a mean age of 56.53 ± 13.49 years, 96% (n = 791) were clinically diagnosed as
type II diabetes, 07% of the patients were diagnosed as pre-diabetes, the duration of diabetes ranged from
newly diagnosed to more than 10 years, with 46% (n = 379) of the studied population were more than 10 years
diabetes duration, 70% (581) were presented with classical symptoms of diabetes. Initial treatment for diabetes
also different in the studied sample, were absent of anti-diabetic medications in 30% (n = 248) of the patients,
they refused to start glucose lowering drugs, 34.6% (n = 284) of them have morbid obesity (body mass index
is more than 40), 80% (n = 662) have high HBA1c (more than 8 g%), 40.3% (n = 240/596) were uncontrolled
hypertension on anti-hypertension drugs, 95.6% (n = 682/713) were controlled on treatment of lipid lowering
drugs. This study showing the presentation of diabetes were the common, type II diabetes, at age group
between 41 - 66 years about 65%, female sex, with high body mass index, high glycated hemglobulin and
uncontrolled hypertension. There is concern that diabetic patients were occurring at a high frequency in
younger adults, where longer duration of illness could increase the risk of developing more complications in
later life. The rate of coexist cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, dyslipidaemia and obesity) in Libyan
patients with diabetes is highlighted.
