Medication Adherence, Family Support, and Cost-effectiveness in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Management: A Narrative Review

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic disease with a high prevalence that requires lifelong treatment, resulting in a substantial economic burden. Medication adherence, family support, and cost-effectiveness are essential pillars for the successful management of T2DM. Objective: This narrative review aimed to analyze the scientific evidence regarding the factors influencing medication adherence, the role of family support in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus, and the cost-effectiveness of various antidiabetic therapies. The review synthesized evidence from 50 published research articles. Methods: A narrative review was conducted using 50 scientific articles retrieved from the PubMed, PubMed Central, and Google Scholar databases. The articles were published between 2020 and 2026 and included studies investigating medication adherence, family support, factors affecting therapeutic success, and Cost-effectiveness Analysis (CEA) of antidiabetic therapies. Results: The findings demonstrated that medication adherence was significantly associated with improved clinical outcomes (p < 0.05). Pharmacist-led counseling and patient education were shown to be effective in reducing blood glucose levels. Family support was also significantly associated with medication adherence (OR = 7.650; p = 0.003). Pharmacoeconomic evidence indicated that metformin was the most cost-effective antidiabetic therapy compared with other treatment regimens. Furthermore, the metformin–glimepiride combination demonstrated a lower Average Cost-effectiveness Ratio (ACER) than the acarbose–glimepiride combination. Conclusion: The management of type 2 diabetes mellitus requires a holistic approach that integrates strategies to improve medication adherence through education and pharmacist counseling, while strengthening family support to achieve optimal clinical outcomes. In addition, selecting cost-effective pharmacological regimens is essential to optimize both therapeutic effectiveness and healthcare resource utilization.