Severe hypos in diabetics linked with higher death rates

Severe hypoglycemia, in patients with type 2 diabetes, is linked with an increase chance of developing serious complications leading to death within 5 years, according to studies carried out by the University of Sydney, Australia.
The diabetes research study took place over a five year period and found that patients who were experiencing severe hypos were more likely to die as well as experience complications such as heart disease, strokes, kidney disease and diabetic retinopathy.
The outcome of the findings appears to share similarities with a study earlier in the year which linked the lowest HbA1c values of patients to a higher rate of mortality.
The researchers state that hypoglycemia, as such, may not be responsible, but it that it suggests that it could be a marker of vulnerability to adverse health conditions.
It is thought that diabetes consultants and endocrinologists may react to the news by taking a more cautious approach to blood glucose level targets with diabetes patients who already have a history of health problems, such as coronary heart disease .