Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 25, 2026

Improving IV Insulin Administration in a Community Hospital
12:08

Improving IV Insulin Administration in a Community Hospital

Published on: June 11, 2012

Glucose control in diabetes: which target level to aim for?

M Laakso1, H Cederberg

  • 1Department of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland. markku.laakso@kuh.fi

Journal of Internal Medicine
|February 11, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Lowering blood glucose levels is key to preventing long-term diabetes complications. Effective diabetes management, including controlling hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), reduces risks for both microvascular and macrovascular issues.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Metabolic Diseases
  • Clinical Medicine

Background:

  • Diabetes mellitus management aims to mitigate long-term complications.
  • Hyperglycemia is a primary risk factor for microvascular complications.
  • Dyslipidemia, hypertension, and smoking contribute to macrovascular risks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review evidence linking hyperglycemia to long-term diabetes complications.
  • To discuss clinical trial outcomes on hyperglycemia treatment for complication prevention.
  • To evaluate target HbA1c levels for type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Main Methods:

  • Review of longitudinal population-based studies.
  • Analysis of clinical trial data on hyperglycemia treatment.
  • Synthesis of evidence regarding micro- and macrovascular complication risks.

Main Results:

  • Hyperglycemia is a significant risk factor for long-term diabetes complications.
  • Treatment of hyperglycemia impacts the prevention of micro- and macrovascular complications.
  • An HbA1c target of <7.0% is widely accepted; <6.5% may suit select type 2 diabetes patients.

Conclusions:

  • Effective glycemic control is crucial for diabetes patient outcomes.
  • Individualized HbA1c targets should consider disease duration and comorbidities.
  • Managing hyperglycemia and other risk factors is essential for comprehensive diabetes care.

More Related Videos

Hyperglycemic Clamp and Hypoglycemic Clamp in Conscious Mice07:35

Hyperglycemic Clamp and Hypoglycemic Clamp in Conscious Mice

Published on: January 26, 2024

Study of In Vivo Glucose Metabolism in High-fat Diet-fed Mice Using Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) and Insulin Tolerance Test (ITT)08:13

Study of In Vivo Glucose Metabolism in High-fat Diet-fed Mice Using Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) and Insulin Tolerance Test (ITT)

Published on: January 7, 2018

Related Concept Videos

Hyperglycemia01:29

Hyperglycemia

Hyperglycemia is an abnormally high blood glucose level. It is diagnosed by fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL, 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (or OGTT) ≥200 mg/dL, random glucose ≥200 mg/dL with symptoms, or HbA1c ≥6.5%. However, HbA1c results may be unreliable in certain conditions, such as anemia or hemoglobinopathies, and the diagnosis should be confirmed unless classic symptoms are present. Postprandial hyperglycemia is typically considered significant when glucose levels exceed 180 mg/dL two...
Diabetes: Management and Pharmacotherapy01:15

Diabetes: Management and Pharmacotherapy

The therapy for diabetes aims to alleviate hyperglycemia-related symptoms, prevent acute metabolic decompensation, and reduce chronic end-organ complications. Glycemic control is evaluated through short-term (self-monitoring, continuous glucose monitoring) and long-term (A1c, fructosamine) metrics, enabling near real-time tracking of blood glucose levels and reflecting glycemic control over specific time frames.
Insulin remains the cornerstone of treatment for most patients with type 1 and many...
Type II Diabetes Mellitus III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnosis01:25

Type II Diabetes Mellitus III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnosis

Type 2 diabetes mellitus develops gradually and is often asymptomatic in early stages.Clinical ManifestationsWhen symptoms appear, they include fatigue, blurred vision, pruritus, delayed wound healing, and recurrent infections, particularly candidal infections. Peripheral neuropathy may present as numbness or tingling in the extremities. Classic hyperglycemia symptoms—polyuria, polydipsia, and polyphagia—are less common. Most patients are overweight and frequently have associated hypertension...
Hypoglycemia and Glucagon01:15

Hypoglycemia and Glucagon

Without prolonged fasting, healthy individuals maintain blood glucose levels above 3.5 mM due to a well-adapted neuroendocrine counterregulatory system that effectively prevents acute hypoglycemia, a potentially life-threatening condition. The primary clinical scenarios for hypoglycemia encompass diabetes treatment, inappropriate production of endogenous insulin or insulin-like substances by tumors, and the use of glucose-lowering agents in non-diabetic individuals. Notably, hypoglycemia in the...
Diabetes: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Complications01:15

Diabetes: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Complications

For most patients, experiencing several weeks of polyuria, polydipsia, fatigue, and significant weight loss may indicate the presence of diabetes. Furthermore, adults displaying the phenotypic appearance of type 2 diabetes (particularly those who are obese and not initially insulin-requiring), may have islet cell autoantibodies, suggesting autoimmune-mediated β cell destruction and a diagnosis of latent autoimmune diabetes of adults (LADA). The categorization of glucose homeostasis is based on...
Hypoglycemia01:26

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is a blood glucose level below 70 mg/dL. It commonly occurs in individuals using insulin or insulin-secreting drugs, but may also arise in non-diabetic conditions. People with type 1 diabetes are at the highest risk because they depend on exogenous insulin. People with type 2 diabetes are also at risk, especially when treated with insulin or medications such as sulfonylureas, which increase insulin release regardless of blood glucose levels. It develops when insulin levels exceed...