New Study Reveals Tight Blood Sugar Control May Put Some Diabetics at Risk

Researchers recently said that a diabetic with an intensive blood sugar control does not benefit people with both type 2 diabetes and heart disease and it may even harm them. Individuals with type 2 diabetes and heart disease whose blood sugar levels are so closely maintained within “normal” range are at a nineteen percent higher risk of death.

Accord Study

The study reports that at least over the five-year period of time, although there continued to be a reduction in the rate of (heart attack), a significant increase in mortality still exists," said the study's lead author, Dr. Hertzel C. Gerstein, the Population Research Health Institute Chair in Diabetes Research at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada.” The study included five years of data. For the intensive group, that meant an average of 3.7 years of intense treatment, followed by 1.3 years of standard therapy. The study was stopped in 2008 due to the increased risk of death among the participants. The study lasted nearly eight years.

Conclusion

“This means that the recommendations of the American Diabetes Association hold true. In general, people with diabetes should aim for an A1C goal of less than 7 percent, but clearly individualization is important. One size does not fit all," said Fonseca. The findings suggest that people with type 2 diabetes and heart disease shouldn't attempt to achieve an A1C below 6 percent, the study authors said.”

Source: http://health.msn.com/health-topics/diabetes/articlepage.aspx?cp-documen...