Introduction:

diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycemia with alterations in carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Morbi-mortality rates have increased as have done obesity, being a health problem in the world, Cuba and the province of Matanzas.

Objective:

to carry out clinical-epidemiological characterization of type 2 diabetes mellitus in two health areas, knowing the variables and identifying the barriers for a subsequent intervention.

Materials and methods:

a cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in 750 type-2 diabetic patients over 18 years in two health areas. Surveys were made and processed in Epi-Info program, showing significant statistic differences among variables of both health areas; p < 0,05 % value and Chi2 were used.

Results:

the average age was 62.2 years, predominating female sex and white skin color. The most commonly associated diseases were arterial hypertension and obesity; smoking and drinking alcoholic and sugar-sweetened beverages and sedentary life were the most relevant associated factors. The most commonly used medications were glibenclamide and metformin.

Conclusions:

diabetes is the first cause of renal failure in the Western world, being renal insufficiency one of the most serious chronic complications of this disease. The main causes of death of this disease are macro vascular complications clinically manifested as ischemic heart disease, heart failure, cerebra-vascular disease and peripheral arterial insufficiency.