Maintaining Healthy Blood Sugar Levels Is Critical to Lowering Risk for Cardiovascular Events In the Future

Written by Mat Lecompte
Published on

Doctor testing a patients glucose level after pricking his finger to draw a drop of blood and then using a digital glucometer,blood glucose meter. the blood sugar value is measured on a finger ,Testing for high blood sugarEarly detection of blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes may be crucial for future control, according to a new joint study from the Universities of Gothenburg and Oxford. Researchers suggest that the years immediately after diagnosis are extremely critical for the risk of heart attack and death in the future.

The study was based on a trial in people with type 2 diabetes from the UK Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS). The analysis examined the role of blood sugar levels in the first years after type 2 diabetes was diagnosed in patients. The incidence of myocardial infarction and death was recorded 10 to 20 years later.
The results of the study were presented in the scientific journal Diabetes Care and showed that blood sugar levels detected early during the condition have a greater impact on future prognosis. There had been no relationships defined before this study.

The research was able to show that targeting blood sugar levels according to treatment guidelines (HbA1c 52 mmol/mol or lower) from the time of diagnosis was associated with an approximately 20 percent lower risk of death 10 to 15 years later.

This was compared to targeting a higher blood-sugar level of HbA1c 63 mmol/mol. The study also found that delaying treatment for blood sugar levels and getting the reading back to a healthy range for 10 years resulted in only a 3% lower risk of death.

Crucial for Reducing Cardiovascular Events

This study can show that proper early blood sugar treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes is vital to reducing the risk of cardiovascular events and even death in the future. There have been no previous studies that were able to understand just how important early blood-sugar control is for the prognosis.

This means that physicians need to put a greater focus on detecting type 2 diabetes at the earliest opportunity to prevent people living with the disease who may otherwise be undetected for several years.

Professor Rury Holman, from the Radcliffe Department of Medicine at the University of Oxford, said, “These new results provide a mechanistic explanation for the glycemic ‘legacy effect,’ first identified by the UKPDS, whereby instituting good blood-sugar control in newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes was shown to reduce the risks of diabetic complications and death for up to 30 years. The discovery of the ‘legacy effect’ has led treatment guidelines worldwide recommending the need to achieve good blood-glucose control as soon as possible.”


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On any matter relating to your health or well-being, please check with an appropriate health professional. No statement herein is to be construed as a diagnosis, treatment, preventative, or cure for any disease, disorder or abnormal physical state. The statements herein have not been evaluated by the Foods and Drugs Administration or Health Canada. Dr. Marchione and the doctors on the Bel Marra Health Editorial Team are compensated by Bel Marra Health for their work in creating content, consulting along with formulating and endorsing products.

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