Published Paper Details:

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) remains a major public health concern, particularly when poorly controlled, as it leads to serious complications such as cardiovascular disease, neuropathy, and retinopathy. Poor medication adherence, ineffective treatment regimens, and lack of patient education further worsen clinical outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate oral anti-diabetic drug utilization patterns, therapeutic trends, medication adherence levels, drug interactions, and the educate patients on diabetes management. A prospective observational study was conducted in the General Medicine and Diabetology departments of Sri Ramakrishna Multispecialty Hospital, Coimbatore. A total of 105 T2DM patients meeting specific inclusion criteria were enrolled. The study population had a male predominance (61%), with most participants aged between 61-70 years. Macrovascular complications were more prevalent (62%) than microvascular ones, with diabetic neuropathy being the most common microvascular issue (23%). Prescription analysis revealed a high prevalence of polypharmacy, with 61% of patients prescribed 9 to 13 medications. Biguanides, notably Metformin, were the most commonly used oral hypoglycemic agents, either alone or in combination with Sitagliptin. Insulin therapy, primarily human insulin, was prescribed to 51% of patients. Drug interactions were noted in 76% of prescriptions, with 67% of these being moderate in severity. Medication adherence was found to be suboptimal, with 50% of patients exhibiting medium adherence levels. However, patient counselling yielded a significant improvement in diabetes-related knowledge, with the proportion of patients demonstrating fair knowledge increasing from 51% to 82%. This study underscores the challenges posed by polypharmacy, drug interactions, and poor adherence in T2DM management. It also highlights the crucial role of pharmaceutical care and patient education in improving therapeutic outcomes. Strengthening counselling services and optimizing drug regimens are essential for better diabetes control and reduced complication risks.