 a study reported in the May 23, 2009, issue of The Lancet.
For the study, the researchers analyzed data from 5 studies that included 33,040 patients. Among these patients, there were 1497 heart attacks, 2318 cases of coronary heart disease, and 1127 strokes, and 2892 patients died. Reviewing the hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) concentration in patients, the investigators determined the more intensive blood sugar control was reached when patients used additional medications and/ or higher doses to achieve lower HbA1C levels.
The patients who received intensive treatment to control their blood sugar had an HbA1C that was 0.9% lower, compared with the patients getting standard treatment (6.6% vs 7.5%).
Sleep Apnea: Undiagnosed in Obese Patients
Sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed in patients battling type 2 diabetes and obesity. The study reported in the June 2009 issue of Diabetes Care found that 87% of the 306 study participants had sleep apnea but were never diagnosed with the disorder.
The findings are based on the patients’ responses to questions on sleep apnea symptoms. The researchers determined that >30% of the patients had 16 to 20 episodes per hour in which their breathing would stop during sleep, and 22% had >30 episodes an hour, which is considered severe sleep apnea.
Study Shows Coffee Consumption OK
Men with type 2 diabetes can continue to drink coffee, even large quantities, without raising their chances of developing heart disease or increasing their risk of dying early. The study included 3497 men with diabetes who were followed from 1986 to 2004. The data indicated that none of the participants had cardiovascular disease at study onset, and they all completed several dietary questionnaires during followup.
Reporting in the June 2009 issue of Diabetes Care, the researchers found that even consuming ≥4 cups of coffee per day did not dramatically raise the risk of heart disease or premature death during the study, compared with patients who did not drink any coffee. “Our findings do not support the hypothesis that habitual caffeinated coffee consumption increases the risk of cardiovascular events or mortality among individuals with type 2 diabetes,” concluded the researchers.
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FAST FACT: Women who have had gestational diabetes have a 20% to 50% chance of developing diabetes in the next 5 to 10 years.