Aggressive Diabetes Therapy May Raise Death Risk
5-Year Follow-up Confirms Risk continued...
The newly reported findings, published March 3 in the New England Journal of Medicine, extend the follow-up to five years.
Study co-investigator Robert Byington, MD, of Wake Forest University School of Medicine, tells WebMD that the longer follow-up confirms the earlier mortality picture.
“There was the possibility that the mortality difference might go away with more follow-up, but that is not what we found,” he says.
The researchers conclude that intensive treatment to reduce blood sugar to below 6% HbA1c cannot be recommended for patients with type 2 diabetes who have a high risk for heart attack and stroke.
Kendall says the recommendation agrees with current American Diabetes Association treatment guidelines.
“Achieving (hemoglobin A1c) levels in the 7% range provides significant protection for the eyes, the nerves, and the kidneys, but going lower does not seem to add additional benefits in terms of cardiovascular risk,” he says.
Is This Normal? Get the Facts Fast!
Answer:
0-69
70-130
131+
Your level is currently
If the level is below 70 and you are experiencing symptoms such as shaking, sweating or difficulty thinking, you will need to raise the number immediately. A quick solution is to eat a few pieces of hard candy or 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey. Recheck your numbers again in 15 minutes to see if the number has gone up. If not, repeat the steps above or call your doctor.
People who experience hypoglycemia several times in a week should call their health care provider. It's important to monitor your levels each day so you can make sure your numbers are within the range. If you are pregnant always consult with your health care provider.
Congratulations on taking steps to manage your health.
However, it's important to continue to track your numbers so that you can make lifestyle changes if needed. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
Your level is high if this reading was taken before eating. Aim for 70-130 before meals and less than 180 two hours after meals.
Even if your number is high, it's not too late for you to take control of your health and lower your blood sugar.
One of the first steps is to monitor your levels each day. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
Did You Know Your Lifestyle Choices
Affect Your Blood Sugar?
Use the Blood Glucose Tracker to monitor
how well you manage your blood sugar over time.
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