Table 1 Patient characteristics (n = 196).
Age (years), median (IQR) | 68.6 | (64.4–72.2) |
Sex, n (%) | ||
 Female | 143 | (73.0) |
 Male | 52 | (26.5) |
 Unknown | 1 | (0.5) |
Number of medicines, n (%) | ||
 1–5 | 169 | (86.2) |
 6–10 | 15 | (7.7) |
 Missing | 12 | (6.1) |
Cardiometabolic medicines, n (%) | ||
 Metformin | 166 | (84.7) |
 Sulfonylurea | 105 | (53.6) |
 Acarbose | 27 | (13.8) |
 Insulin | 8 | (4.1) |
 Blood pressure-lowering medicines | 133 | (67.9) |
 Lipid lowering-medicines (only statins) | 55 | (28.1) |
Glucose lowering-medicines, n (%) | ||
 Using 1 non-insulin GL medicine | 91 | (46.4) |
 Using 2 non-insulin GL medicine | 89 | (45.4) |
 Using 3 non-insulin GL medicine | 8 | (4.1) |
 Using insulin with/without other | 8 | (4.1) |
Combinations of medicines used, n (%) | ||
 GL medicine | 50 | (25.5) |
 GL + BP medicine | 91 | (46.4) |
 GL + LL medicine | 13 | (6.6) |
G L + BP + LL medicine | 42 | (21.4) |
Education level, n (%) | ||
 Primary school/no school | 56 | (28.6) |
 Junior high school | 33 | (16.8) |
 Senior high school | 64 | (32.7) |
 University degree | 43 | (21.9) |
Using CAM, n (%) | 64 | (32.7) |
Type of CAM, n (%) | ||
 Skill-based therapy | 23 | (11.7) |
 Biologically-based therapy | 56 | (28.6) |
 Supernatural therapy | 2 | (1.0) |
 Spiritual therapy | 1 | (0.5) |
Number of CAM, n (%) | ||
 Using 1 CAM | 48 | (24.5) |
 Using 2 CAM | 14 | (7.1) |
 Using 3 CAM | 2 | (1.0) |
Abbreviations: IQR interquartile range, GL Glucose-lowering medicines, BP Blood pressure-lowering medicines, LL Lipid-lowering medicines, CAM Complementary/alternative medicines | ||