Today is World Diabetes Day, a disease that involves us all, as the figures show. Its prevalence worldwide was 415 million people (half of whom do not know they suffer from it), with a prediction of 642 million by the year 2040, which means that one in ten adults will suffer from diabetes. This growth goes hand in hand with the increase in obesity, which indicates that it is a disease closely linked to current lifestyles (more sedentary, with a more energetic per diem expenses ). Moreover, this pathology is accompanied by important complications, such as blindness, renal transplantation or non-traumatic amputation as a result of retinopathy, nephropathy or diabetic foot. For this reason, the 'Eye on diabetes' campaign is being launched this year, with activities aimed at two objectives: the detection of diabetes subject 2 and the detection of possible complications, in order to better control the disease.

Another aspect to take into account is that in 2015 there were five million deaths secondary to diabetes, with one death every six seconds. This caused an overwhelming healthcare expense , specifically 12% of the overall healthcare expense . We can easily conclude that diabetes mellitus involves all of us, as potential patients, as potential stakeholders or as the population paying the health economic cost of diabetes.

Despite these dark clouds, in the last few years we have witnessed an impressive arrival of new drugs for the treatment of this disease. Drugs for diabetes mellitus subject 2 (DM2), with a very low risk of hypoglycemia, as well as a reduction in weight, which can facilitate therapeutic objectives. In fact, in the last two years we have learned that some of these drugs achieve a significant reduction in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with previous cardiovascular disease. Nor can we forget the magnificent results that bariatric or metabolic surgery can achieve in patients with DM2, even 'curing' diabetes in certain cases.

I do not want to forget diabetes mellitus subject 1 (DM1), because it has an important social repercussion since it generally affects children under 15 years of age, requires treatment with insulin from its diagnosis and the therapeutic novelties have not been, perhaps, so spectacular. However, since the year 2000, new insulins have been available that improve the profile of the previous ones, reducing the risk of hypoglycemia. In addition, since two years ago, patients have had at their disposal a new technology for measuring glucose without the need for the annoying finger prick, which makes it possible to reduce the time patients spend in hypoglycemia. In the fairly immediate future, it seems that we will have what we call an artificial pancreas, a continuous infusion system based on insulin 'pumps', but which, with new algorithms, is capable of deciding the dose that the patient needs at any given moment. 

Thus, despite the shocking numbers at the beginning of article, we should know that we have powerful therapeutic tools for the control of the disease. However, none of them will work well if we do not correct those lifestyles that are so closely linked to its onset and that we must combat with changes in our diet patron saint , recommending the Mediterranean per diem expenses , which is proving so beneficial, and encouraging the internship of physical exercise. The implementation of these measures, together with an early diagnosis of the disease can change the evolution of DM2. As for DM1, the current research is focusing on identifying the factors that may lead to its onset. If we identify them, the treatment of DM1 could change substantially. I insist, the current data encourage us to look to the future with hope, but none of us involved (patients, families, physicians, diabetes educators, researchers, scientific societies, health systems) can relax in our efforts.