The study used a sample of over 26,000 patients with diabetes and findings revealed that those who subscribed to cholesterol and blood-pressure guidelines were less likely to be hospitalised, and those who only subscribed to the blood-sugar protocols were at higher risk of experiencing a stroke or heart-attack. During the research, adult diabetes patients in the Oregon and Washington areas of the US, were studied between 2002 until 2010, or until they left the research due to factors including death or terminating their medical plans. Most previous studies have included patients who have exhibited one or two risk factors, but this research used patients who suffered from all three.
In the last few years, patients within the sample have been encouraged to take a far more pro-active stance in their fight against the possibility of heart-attacks and strokes, and have been prescribed with medications including aspirin – which can thin the blood, beta-blockers – which can regulate the body’s heartbeat and lisnoptil – which is a lipid reducing medication.
Adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to experience cardiovascular disease and related heart-ailments, than those who do not, and following recent research, there is considerable evidence that controlling the risk-factors behind cardiac-events, such as blood-pressure and cholesterol can reduce risk. However it is only since the publication of the aforementioned study, that an examination of all three risk factors has been achieved.