Objective To analyze the glycemic control and other metabolic profiles in outpatients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who were only taking oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs). Methods The clinical data and laboratory findings (past 3 months) of 374 T2DM outpatients who were followed up in our hospital were collected by questionnaire survey. The participants were grouped by the types of OADs they were taking (single drug group, two drug group, and three or more drug group). The relationship of the control status of each parameter with complications or/and other metabolic abnormalities was analyzed. Results The mean glycosylated hemoglobin A_1c (HbA_1c) of these patients was (7.46±1.22)%, with 40.64% of them achieving the recommended glycemic target (HbA_1c<7.0%). Participants with body mass index (BMI) less than 24 kg/m² achieved better glycemic control compared with those with BMI more than 24 kg/m²(P<0.05). Sulphonylureas and biguanides were the most commonly used options, accounting for 51.35% in the two drug group and 71.09% in the three or more drug group. The proportion of participants with poorly controlled glycemic status (HbA_1c≥8.0%) in the three or more drug group (34.12%) was significantly higher than that of participants in the other two groups (20.86%, P=0.005). Logistic regression analysis indicated that the long course of disease (OR=1.64), high BMI (OR=1.60) and the more comorbidities and complications (OR=1.60) were the risk factors of poor glycemic control (all P<0.01), and age was a protective factor for glycemic control (OR=0.695, P<0.01). Conclusion The status of blood glucose control in the outpatients of our hospital is not satisfactory, which is due to factors such as “therapeutic inertia”. When multidrug therapy fails to achieve the recommended glycemic targets, the treatment strategy should be adjusted promptly.