Proof that good glucose control reduces complications in Type 2 Diabetes

The United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS)

 In this study, only Type 2 diabetics were enrolled. Over 5000 patients with newly diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes were followed for an average of 10 years. They were divided into two groups, an intensive therapy group (treatment included diet plus Diabetic medication), and the other group was managed with diet alone. The goal was to get the fasting blood glucose to 108mg/dl in the intensive therapy group. In the diet group, the aim was to keep the fasting plasma glucose under 270-mg/dl. The tighter the blood glucose controls, the less likely to have microvascular complications and diabetic-related events such as amputation, heart attack, stroke, and death. They also studied the effects of good blood pressure control versus poor blood pressure control. Outcomes show that good blood pressure control reduced microvascular and macrovascular complications. There was a reduction in strokes, heart failure, visual problems, and cardiovascular events in the group with better blood pressure control.