Letter to the editor: alarming prevalence of comorbid conditions in adults with type 2 diabetes in Iran

AbstractOne of the key challenges that healthcare continues to face is the ongoing epidemiological transition from communicable diseases to non-communicable diseases. In Iran, it is expected that the number of patients with non-communicable diseases will increase because of the growing prevalence of the Western lifestyle, nutritional transition, and the aging of society. As the elderly population continues to grow, cardiovascular diseases have progressively replaced communicable diseases as the leading cause of mortality. In 2016, ischemic heart diseases, cerebrovascular accidents, hypertension, and diabetes were the first, second, fourth, and sixth leading causes of mortality respectively. Like many patients with a chronic disease, most Iranians with diabetes have at least one comorbid condition. Diabetes-related comorbidities increase the healthcare demands, cost, and risk of poor patient outcomes. Although a growing body of evidence indicates that the type and severity of the comorbid conditions matter, less attention has been paid to studying how they influence diabetes care. Further research should continue to focus on furthering our understanding of management strategies to enhance the quality of care for diabetes patients having comorbidities.
Source: Journal of Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders - Category: Endocrinology Source Type: research