DIABETICS CAN cut their heart attack risk by almost a fifth by driving down blood sugar levels, research has shown.
A study pooling information from five trials showed intensive treatment of type 2 diabetes led to fewer heart attacks and less heart disease.
However, stepping up treatment to lower blood sugar had no effect on strokes and did not alter death rates. The research, involving more than 33,000 patients in total, compared the effects of standard therapy with that of intense treatment regimens.
Type 2 diabetes, which is linked with lifestyle, is treated with a combination of dietary changes and drugs. Pills are prescribed for the condition that increase levels of insulin or boost the body’s sensitivity to the hormone. Insulin is essential for regulating levels of sugar in the blood and its use by cells as an energy source.
A blood molecule called haemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) was used to measure blood sugar concentrations. In healthy individuals, HbA1C levels average 4-5 per cent, but they often exceed 6.5 per cent in diabetics.
The pooled data showed patients on standard treatment maintained an average HbA1C level of 7.5 per cent. Those who underwent intensive treatment reduced their levels to 6.5 per cent.
Intensive treatment led to 17 per cent fewer heart attacks and a 15 per cent reduced risk of heart disease compared with standard treatment.