Intensive blood glucose control aims to decrease the blood glucose levels of patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Although there are many assumptions stating that the treatment is effective to achieve near-normal glucose levels, there are studies that suggest that such treatment can be potentially harmful, too. This is according to research results released by the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG).
IQWiG conducted several studies, gathering 28,000 subjects for the assessment. According to the IQWiG, previous epidemiological studies suggested that there is a higher cardiovascular risk with hyperglycemia, the clinical increase in blood glucose levels. Since then, guidelines have been set to decrease the glucose levels to near-normal values. This means that that blood glucose levels should have similar results to people who do not have diabetes.
IQWiG conducted studies by comparing a group of patients who received intensive blood glucose control to another group who did not receive any treatment. They found out that although the treatment is effective, severe hypoglycemic episodes occurred more to those who received the treatment. Hypoglycemia is a potentially life-threatening state characterized by low blood glucose levels. Without enough blood glucose, vital organs may cease to function.
Diabetes is indeed a widely-studied subject of research, and treatment options vary from one field to another. The question about the best treatment strategy to manage diabetes is thus still unanswered. In fact, other studies have stated that intensive blood control has no significant effects as far as the treatment outcomes are concerned.
Furthermore, the IQWiG Director Jürgen Windeler expressed that the effects of certain anti-diabetic drugs are very remarkable, but little is known about the treatment strategy in general, especially its benefits and risks. Doctors and medical experts are often bombarded with the question about the best treatment plan they can prescribe for their diabetic patients, considering the existing debates in prioritizing blood glucose control.
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