Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is a global pandemic affecting populations worldwide. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)–Indian Diabetes Study, India currently has approximately 62.4 million people with diabetes, a number projected to exceed 100 million by 2030. The prevalence of diabetes among adults is around 20% in urban areas and 10% in rural regions. Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted over a period of one year, from January 2023 to December 2024, at the Department of General Medicine, sree mookambika medical college hospital Kanyakumari district.A total of 1,113 patients were screened, and 138 patients with diabetes mellitus aged 20–80 years who were receiving treatment and following lifestyle and dietary advice were included. Most patients belonged to low and middle socioeconomic groups. Exclusion criteria included refusal to provide informed consent, presence of diabetic complications or serious medical conditions requiring hospital admission, prediabetes, and gestational diabetes. Results: The prevalence of diabetes in the study population was 6.19%, with 68.11% of patients aged 40–60 years. Metformin was the most commonly prescribed drug, with 21.74% of patients on monotherapy. The most frequently used oral combination therapy was Glimepiride with Metformin (33.33%), followed by Glibenclamide with Metformin (8.69%). Injectable Human Mix insulin combined with Metformin was used in 27.53% of patients. Statins were prescribed in 15.94% of cases. The most common comorbidity was hypertension (21.73%), followed by dyslipidaemia (8.6%). Conclusion: With the rising prevalence of diabetes, this study highlights the current trends in pharmacological management among the rural population. Oral antidiabetic drugs remain the mainstay of therapy, though there is a gradual shift toward insulin use. Intensification of therapy, including combination drug interventions along with lifestyle modification, is necessary. Metformin remains the most commonly prescribed drug, and among sulfonylureas, Glimepiride is the preferred choice.

Diabetes mellitus; Glimepiride; Metformin; Lifestyle modification