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Poor blood sugar management leads to complications for diabetics

Category: Diabetes

Regular blood testing is an important part of diabetics' efforts to manage their condition. Maintaining healthy glucose levels is critical to avoiding many of the complications that often accompany the metabolic condition.

For example, a new study published in the Archives of Neurology showed that diabetics are more likely to develop cognitive decline when they fail to effectively manage their blood sugar levels.

A team of researchers from the Univeristy of California, San Francisco tracked the health of a group of more than 3,000 participants, 24 percent of whom had diabetes, over a 10-year period, administering tests of cognitive function at the beginning and end of this time.

The results showed people who had diabetes at the beginning of the study or developed the condition during the trial period had much higher rates of cognitive decline than healthy participants. Furthermore, diabetics who had poor long-term control of their glucose levels had the highest rates of cognitive deficits.

The findings suggest that diabetics should engage in consistent blood testing to make sure their glucose levels are within an acceptable range. This may help them avoid serious complications.