[Insulin and diabetes control in Argentina]. / Insulina y control de la diabetes en la Argentina.

ABSTRACT

As in the rest of the world, there is a significant gap between scientific knowledge regarding diabetes mellitus and the daily practice outcome, in Argentina. Inadequate diabetes control combined with associated cardiovascular risk factors are responsible for an elevated morbid-mortality incidence and the consequent raise in the socioeconomic burden. Some of the factors leading to this situation are the late diagnosis of the disease, the clinical "inertia" (reluctance to prescribe insulin) and the poor education given to the health care team as well as the persons with diabetes. The implementation of a national diabetologic education program targeting health care providers, the persons with diabetes and their families, could contribute to optimize the appropriate insulin prescription, and consequently improve their life quality, while reducing the disease socioeconomic burden. In order to optimize the education program's strategy outcome, insulinization cabinets should be incorporated, the participation of all health systems (public health, social security and private health insurance companies), the media, health sciences, schools and the pharmaceutical industry are needed.