AIM:To describe baseline data of the optimal type2 diabetes management including benchmarking and standard treatment(OPTIMISE)study in Greece.METHODS:“Benchmarking”is the process of receiving feedback comparing one’s performance with that of others.The OPTIMISE(NCT00681850)study is a multinational,multicenter study assessing,at a primary care level,whether using“benchmarking”can help to improve the quality of patient care,compared with a set of guideline-based reference values(“non-benchmarking”).In the Greek region,797 outpatients(457men,mean age 63.8 years)with type 2 diabetes were enrolled by 84 office-based physicians.Baseline characteristics of this population are presented.RESULTS:Hypertension was the most prevalent concomitant disorder(77.3%)and coronary heart disease was the most frequent macrovascular complication of diabetes(23.8%).Most patients were overweight or obese(body mass index 29.6±5 kg/m2),exhibiting mostly abdominal obesity(waist circumference102.6±13.6 cm).Biguanides were the most prevalent prescribed drugs for the management of diabetes(70.1%of all prescriptions),whereas statins(93.5%of all prescriptions)and angiotensin receptor blockers(55.8%of all prescriptions)were the most prevalent prescribed drugs for hyperlipidemia and hypertension,respectively.Only 37.4%of patients were on aspirin.Despite treatment,pre-defined targets for fasting plasma glucose(<110 mg/dL),glycated hemoglobin(<7%),systolic blood pressure(<130 mmHg and<125mmHg for patients with proteinuria)and low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels(<100 mg/dL and<70mg/dL for patients with coronary heart disease)were reached in a relatively small proportion of patients(29%,53%,27%and 31%,respectively).In a Greek population with type 2 diabetes,the control of glycemia or concomitant disorders which increase cardiovascular risk remains poor.CONCLUSION:Despite relevant treatment,there is a poor control of diabetes,hypertension and hyperlipidemia in Greek outpatients with type 2 diabetes. AIM: To describe baseline data of the optimal type 2 diabetes management including benchmarking and standard treatment (OPTIMISE) study in Greece. METHODS: “Benchmarking ” is the process of receiving feedback comparing one’s performance with that of others. OPTIMISE (NCT00681850) study is a multinational, multicenter study assessing, at a primary care level, whether using “benchmarking” can help to improve the quality of patient care, compared with a set of guideline-based reference values ​​(“non-benchmarking” In the Greek region, 797 outpatients (457 men, mean age 63.8 years) with type 2 diabetes were enrolled by 84 office-based physicians. Baseline characteristics of this population are presented.RESULTS: Hypertension was the most prevalent concomitant disorder (77.3% ) and coronary heart disease was the most frequent macrovascular complication of diabetes (23.8%). Most patients were overweight or obese (body mass index 29.6 ± 5 kg / m2), exhibiting mostly abdominal obesity (waist circumference 102.6 ± 13.6 c m) .iguanides were the most prevalent prescribed drugs for the management of diabetes (70.1% of all prescriptions), but statins (93.5% of all prescriptions) and angiotensin receptor blockers (55.8% of all prescriptions) were the most prevalent prescribed drugs for hyperlipidemia and hypertension, respectively. Ofly 37.4% of patients were on aspirin.Despite treatment, pre-defined targets for fasting plasma glucose (<110 mg / dL), glycated hemoglobin (<7%), systolic blood pressure <125 mmHg for patients with proteinuria) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (<100 mg / dL and <70 mg / dL for patients with coronary heart disease) were reached in a relatively small proportion of patients (29%, 53%, 27% and 31%, respectively) .In a Greek population with type 2 diabetes, the control of glycemia or concomitant disorders which increase cardiovascular risk remains poor. CONCLUSION: Despite relevant treatment, there is a poor control of diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia in Greek outpatients with type 2 diabetes.