Changes in type 2 diabetes medicine use and following treatment guidelines in Belgian primary care from 2019 to 2023

The prevalence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease among patients with type 2 diabetes in Belgium reached 27%, 6.7%, and 23.7% respectively by 2023.

• The population of patients with type 2 diabetes increased from 20,766 in 2019 to 21,764 in 2023.
• The prevalence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease rose from 25.2% to 27% during the study period.
• Heart failure prevalence increased from 4.9% to 6.7% among these patients.
• Chronic kidney disease prevalence rose from 21.5% to 23.7% by 2023.
• The prescription rates for SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists tripled to 6.2% and 11.5% respectively.
• Despite increased prescribing, only 7.5% of eligible patients received these medications as of 2023.

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