In this single-center Colombian cohort of 138 adults with T2DM in specialized cardiology care, HbA1c >7% was common (70.3%) and was associated with higher total cholesterol and with the presence of echocardiographic abnormalities, while the lower SGLT2 inhibitor use seen with HbA1c >7% did not persist after adjustment.
Most patients with T2DM in this specialized cardiology clinic had HbA1c above 7%.
Patients with HbA1c >7% were older than those with HbA1c ≤7%.
Patients with HbA1c >7% had higher total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in univariable analysis.
Cerebrovascular disease was present only in patients with HbA1c >7%.
Absence of prespecified echocardiographic abnormalities was less frequent in patients with HbA1c >7%.
SGLT2 inhibitor use was low overall and was more frequent in patients with HbA1c ≤7% in unadjusted analysis.
In the exploratory multivariable model, higher total cholesterol was independently associated with HbA1c >7%.
In the multivariable model, absence of prespecified echocardiographic abnormalities was inversely associated with HbA1c >7%.
The association between SGLT2 inhibitor use and HbA1c control was not significant after adjustment.
The authors conclude that the cross-sectional findings support integrated cardiometabolic assessment in specialized outpatient care.
This study looked at the medical records of 138 adults with type 2 diabetes who were seen at a specialized heart clinic in Barranquilla, Colombia, in 2023–2024. About 7 in 10 patients had blood sugar control (HbA1c) above the common 7% target. Those with poorer control tended to be older, had higher total and LDL cholesterol, and were more likely to have heart-structure or function abnormalities on echocardiograms. Strokes or other cerebrovascular disease were found only in the poorer-control group. Only about 1 in 6 patients was prescribed an SGLT2 inhibitor, a class of diabetes drugs with known heart benefits. Use was higher among patients with better-controlled blood sugar, but this difference was no longer statistically significant once other factors were accounted for. After adjustment, higher total cholesterol was linked to a greater chance of HbA1c above 7%, and having no echocardiographic abnormalities was linked to a lower chance. This research suggests that blood sugar, cholesterol, and heart findings often go together in people with diabetes seen by cardiologists, supporting a combined approach to assessment. Because the study was small, from one center, based on a single point in time, and the regression was exploratory, it cannot show cause and effect or that these results apply to all patients in Colombia.
Suarez Maestre L, Hoyos Montaño I, Rúa Osorio Z, Renowitzky Zabarain C, Dominguez Vargas A, González-Torres H. (2026). Cardiovascular risk profile and treatment patterns in patients with type 2 diabetes in specialized cardiology outpatient care in Colombia: A retrospective cross-sectional study.. Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000051307