Diabetes Miniatlas

It is estimated that the number of people suffering from diabetes throughout the world will double in the next twenty years. This increase is due to the higher incidence of obesity and to the longer life-expectancy of the population. Although this epidemiological tendency is expected to be most marked in Europe and the USA, it may be assumed that the impact will also be observed in populations that are rapidly acquiring a western lifestyle.Diabetes is considered to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is associated with conditions that carry a high risk of morbidity and mortality; it has therefore become one of the current issues of concern in worldwide public health. Education is one of the most important pillars in the control of this disease, as it has been shown that prevention through patient education significantly reduces the associated complications. It is therefore of vital importance to review the latest concepts on diabetes, for example the risk factors that predispose to its onset, its main forms of presentation, its natural history and the possible complications that may develop, as well as the therapeutic arsenal currently available to achieve an optimal treatment. Taking all this into consideration, we are convinced that this publication will be of particular value to professional practice.