United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS)
The UKPDS showed that long-term complications of type 2 diabetes can be prevented through intensive blood glucose and blood pressure management: The UKPDS included almost 4,000 people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.
The study demonstrated that:
- Type 2 diabetes is progressive over time, and as the pancreas loses its ability to make insulin, more treatment is required
- High blood glucose and high blood pressure both play an important role in the development of diabetes complications.
Intensive blood glucose control & management of hypertension resulted in fewer diabetes related complications, and approximately
- 20% decrease in death related to diabetes
- 40% decrease in eye, kidney, and nerve diabetes complications
- 40% decrease in blockage of the blood vessels to the lower limbs
- 15% decrease in heart attack
For every 10 mmHG drop in the systolic blood pressure, there was approximate 12% decrease in:
- Death related to diabetes
- Eye, kidney, and nerve diabetes complications
- Heart attack