Abstract
Objective: Diabetes is a worldwide disease that has high prevalence throughout the world. It can lead to many complications if not treated properly. Major complications are Coronary Artery Disease, retinopathy, neuropathy and nephropathy. Adequate control of blood sugar level is the key to preventing diabetic complications. Optimal blood sugar level in diabetics can be achieved with adequate therapy and good compliance to drugs and diet.
Material and Methods: Hospital based observational cross sectional study. Patients were interviewed and assessed regarding duration of diabetes, type of therapy, number of drugs, compliance to drugs, and complications due to diabetes.
Results: Total study population was 200. Mean age was 54.86+ 9.84 years (24-85). Male were 69 (34.8%). Types II Diabetes was present in 184 (91.5%). Newly diagnosed diabetics were 23(11.9%). Only 15% were on Insulin therapy, 3% were on both Insulin and oral treatment and the rest were taking oral medications. Only 56.7% were good compliant to medications. Among study subjects, 12.5% were taking hakim medications/alternative therapy and 5% were on diet control, 40(20%) were taking no medications and 120 (59.7%) were taking one drug. Two, three and four drugs were taken by 34 (16.9%), 4(2.3%) and 2 (1.1%) patients respectively.
Diabetic complications were present in 65(32.3%) patients. Average random blood sugar was 190 mg% with + (80.68 mg%). Adverse effects of therapy were seen in 15 patients (7.5%), hypoglycaemia was the commonest adverse effects of drugs found in 3.8% patients.

Conclusion: Diabetes have high rate of complications, with suboptimal treatment strategies and poor compliance to therapy in Pakistan.

Key words: Diabetes mellitus, epidemiology, clinical profile, complications