The average increase over 12 years was 9 lbs for those in the intensive group, treated with insulin or tablets, and 4 lbs for those on diet alone. Some people with type 2 diabetes can control their blood glucose levels just by watching what they eat and taking regular exercise. However,. other people will need the help of either tablets or insulin to maintain tight control. This study showed that it didn't really matter whether you used tablets or insulin. The important thing was to keep your glucose levels as near normal as possible.
Hypertension is known to affect the blood vessels and is a major factor in heart attacks.
In this study, two levels of blood pressure were set for different groups. They saw a reduction in the risk of deaths from diabetes related complications by 30 per cent. Both are important in preventing complications. Lowering blood pressure gives slightly better results than reducing blood glucose. However, in combination they work very well.