Approach to mechanisms of comorbidity in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Introduction: It is estimated that there will be a prevalence of 366 million people suffering from diabetes worldwide by the year 2030.  In Cuba, the prevalence of diabetic population is 56.7 per 1 000 inhabitants. The analysis of the real implications of diabetes is not limited to its existence alone, since it is an entity which is frequently associated with other health problems.
Objective:To approach the mechanisms that underlie the comorbidity of a patient with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
Material and methods:  A bibliographic review was carried out using Google Scholar search engine, authors´ libraries, and Scielo database from the Virtual Health Library.
Development:Comorbidity, and Type 2 Diabetes mellitus increase with age. The underlying mechanisms may have either a pathogenic basis or not. Their study is important because of the effects in the diagnostic process, the self-care, and the success of the treatment.  Hence, the normative documents should consider this phenomenon. The instruments to do research on this topic can be both specific or general.
Conclusions:Comorbidity is a frequent clinical phenomenon to be considered in the diabetic patient because diabetes is a systemic disease.

Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, comorbidity, research, pluripathology, scale, physiopathology.