Antidiabetic drug profile of COVID-19 patients with comorbid diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a risk factor that can increase the severity and mortality of patients with COVID-19 infection. The use of antidiabetic drugs for diabetes mellitus patients with COVID-19 infection is very important to reduce these impacts. Objective: This study aimed to determine the antidiabetic drug profiles of COVID-19 patients with comorbid diabetes mellitus. Method: This study was an analytic cross-sectional electronic medical record data of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and comorbid Diabetes Mellitus. It was carried out from May until December 2020. Result: A total of 106 patients were involved and different types of antidiabetic drugs were used i.e., glimepiride in 32 patients (31.13%), metformin in 18 patients (16.98%), combination of long-acting and rapid-acting insulin in 20 patients (18.87%), and combination of metformin and glimepiride in 18 patients (16.98%). Conclusion: The most commonly prescribed single antidiabetic therapy in patients with COVID-19 and comorbid diabetes mellitus was glimepiride, followed by glimepiride and metformin. The most common insulin therapy combination was long-acting and rapid-acting insulin.