Early blood glucose control for people with type 2 diabetes is crucial for reducing complications and prolonging life

The 20-year trial results, published in 1998, showed that good blood glucose control reduced the risk of diabetic complications. Worldwide, UKPDS changed guidelines to recommend intensive blood glucose control for everyone with type 2 diabetes. Early intensive blood glucose control with metformin led to 31% fewer heart attacks and 20% fewer deaths. Professor Amanda Adler, Director of the Diabetes Trial Unit, said, ‘This shows that treating type 2 diabetes early and thoroughly is crucial. Playing catch-up with blood glucose control is not sufficient.’Professor Philip Clarke, Director of the University of Oxford Health Economics Research Centre, said ‘A major life-time benefit is the increased life-expectancy in those allocated to intensive blood glucose control.