Diabetes Care in Brazil

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The global diabetes epidemic is rapidly increasing in Latin America, with Brazil having nearly 12 million individuals with diabetes.
• Diabetes prevalence in Brazil varies from 6.3% to 13.5% based on region and diagnostic criteria.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present an overview of diabetes care in Brazil.
• Focus on epidemiology, patient adherence to care targets, and the economic impact of diabetes and its complications.

Main Methods:

• Searched SciELO and PubMed databases for literature from 1990-2015.
• Included terms: "diabetes," "Brazil," "Brazilian," and "health system."
• Incorporated additional articles from reference lists; all selected articles were in Portuguese and/or English.

Main Results:

• Gestational diabetes mellitus prevalence is nearly 20%.
• Over 90% of type 1 diabetes patients do not reach glycemic control targets; less than 30% receive treatment for hypertension and dyslipidemia.
• More than 75% of type 2 diabetes patients are overweight or obese, with most failing to meet glycemic, blood pressure, BMI, or cholesterol targets (only 0.2% meet all targets).

Conclusions:

• Brazil ranks fourth globally in diabetes patient numbers.
• The majority of Brazilian patients, across all diabetes types, do not achieve recommended metabolic control goals.
• The economic burden of diabetes and its complications in Brazil is substantial, necessitating urgent development of more effective prevention and management approaches.