Why was ACCORD studying intensive blood sugar lowering in patients with type 2 diabetes?
A large body of research in which adults were followed for several years has shown that diabetes increases the risk of developing CVD. In addition, the higher the blood sugar, the greater the future risk of CVD, and the lower the blood sugar, the lower the risk of CVD. However, most studies were “observational”, rather than more rigorous randomized clinical trials that test interventions or treatments, so they do not prove whether lowering blood sugar levels reduces CVD risk. Although observational studies are important to advancing our understanding of health and disease, well-conducted randomized clinical trials are considered the gold standard for determining safe and effective treatments. Some clinical trials, however, have tested the effects of reducing blood sugar through medical treatments. The United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS), the NIH-supported Diabetes Control and Complications Trial/Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications (DCCT/EDIC) study, a
