[Family health strategy in the treatment of chronic-degenerative diseases: achievements and challenges].

This retrospective, exploratory, quantitative study was carried in a team of heath care unit (ESF) in the municipalitie of Maringá, Paraná, Brasil, to evaluate the effectiveness of ESF in the treatment of chronic diseases. Data were collected between May, 2006 and September, 2009, among 94 patients with hypertension and/or diabetes, through the analysis of the records of registration of the monitoring system of hypertensive and diabetics and charts. Despite changes in the pharmacotherapy of patients and home care, it was found a slight increase in the number of individual with blood pressure (p = 0.773) and fasting glucose levels (p = 0.745) considered appropriate, in the reporting period. It was concluded that changes in the pharmacotherapy prescribed are insufficient for an adequate control of these diseases, being necessary the development of interventions of the health team that promote the practice of self-care in individuals and their families.