Literature review: pharmacists' interventions to improve control and management in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common disease in which excessive levels of blood glucose (sugar) occur. In simple terms, diabetes is generally due to failure in the effective functioning of insulin. Common types of diabetes include type 1 and type 2, which have different treatment options. In the general population, type 2 diabetes is more prevalent than type 1, and type 2 accounts for more than 90% of all known cases of diabetes. The current review examines the contributions of pharmacists to the more positive, long-term prognosis of patients with DM through improvements in its control and management. The authors conducted a systematic literature search. Twenty-seven studies were identified that demonstrated the effects of a pharmacist's intervention on glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). In all cases, it was reported that the intervention was successful in reducing HbA1c in patients with DM. Pharmacist interventions have also proven successful in improving patient lipid profiles, cardiovascular outcomes, and body mass indexes (BMIs), and in reducing other complications associated with the disease. It was also reported that economic advantages were associated with a pharmacist's management of DM.