OBJECTIVES: The rational treatment of all diseases, but especially a chronic disease that have common systemic effects, medium and long-term complications such as diabetes is extremely important. The aim of the study is to understand medicine utilization in type II diabetes in Turkey. METHODS: In order to examine this topic, the volume and costs of anti-diabetics, preference rates of the active substances, first prescription behavior of physicians were taken from data base (MEDULA) of Social Security Institution, the government based reimbursement agency of Turkey from year 2007-2014. Descriptive analysis was conducted.

RESULTS: Consumption of diabetic medicines rose from 638 million TL to 1.116 million TL between 2007 and 2013, respectively. The majority of the increase came from insulin and analogs that rose from 254 million TL to 664 million TL between 2007 to and 2013, respectively. 84,17% of naïve diabetic patients had been started with anti(?) diabetic protocols without insulin in 2013. In additional, metformin was used as 76,24% of all patients in 2013 among them. 65,4% of diabetic patients diagnosed between 40-64 age in 2013. Approximately 70% of all patients were diagnosed by internal physicians in 2013, that ratio seems grooving in recent years.

CONCLUSIONS: Diabetic medicines are one of the mostly consuming medicines in Turkey. In additional, the consumption of diabetic medicines was is rising each every year. Diabetic protocols without insulin or including metformin have the highest percentage of all treatment protocols. Patients were diagnosed with internal physicians while it was expected as family physicians depending on clinical guidelines. The analysis may be a guide for policymakers to understand how the diabetes is managing in Turkey.