Type 2 Diabetes: New Treatment Can Extend Life by Eight Years

Thanks to a long-term Danish follow-up study, scientists have concluded that comprehensive and intense treatment for type 2 diabetics can increase a patient's life by up to eight years.

This study, published in Diabetologia followed up on the 1993 Steno-2 study. In the Steno-2 a group of 160 people with type 2 diabetes were randomized and treated with either a conventional treatment plan or an intensified treatment plan. The initial study ended after eight years.

Now, 21 years later, Dr. Peter Gaede of the Slagelse Hospital and University of Southern Denmark has reached out to those initial test subjects to see how their treatment plans impacted their diabetes in the long term.

Updated Findings

“In previous reports from the Steno-2 study we have demonstrated the unprecedented efficacy of this structured multifactorial intervention,” says study co-author Dr. Jens Oellgaard. It was reasonable to hypothesize that those patients who underwent the intensified treatment would have better lifespan.


Of the 160 people Gaede and Oellgaard followed up with, “38 intensive-therapy patients had died, compared to 55 conventional-therapy patients” - indicating to the researchers that the intensified treatment plan lead to a 45 percent chance of a longer lifespan. The intensive-therapy patients also had a decreased risk of organ failure, and those who had passed away had lived about eight years longer than the conventional-therapy patients.

What Does This Mean For Diabetes Treatment?

“The outcome of our study is very encouraging and emphasises the need for early and intensified treatment of multiple modifiable risk factors for a poor prognosis of patients with type 2 diabetes,” Peter Gaede said in a statement.

The Steno-2 study has been followed up before; in fact, the last follow-up study in 2008 lead to new international guidelines for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in general. As the evidence mounts in favor of intensified treatment for type 2 diabetics, the medical community will be able to help those of us living with type 2 diabetes.



More Articles

With its slightly nutty flavor, chewy texture, and nutritional punch farro is an ancient whole grain worth a place in our pantry.

Farro...

Having diabetes is cause for concern, however it doesn’t mean that you need to eliminate all of your favorite foods from your diet completely....

With diabetes becoming more of an epidemic each and every day, being knowledgeable about the disease, its effects on the body as well as ways to...

If you’re a diabetic or live with one, it can be tough trying to figure out the best foods to eat because your priority is to control your blood...

In this post, I will show you the 10 best ice creams for diabetics.

When you think of sweetened foods that a diabetic shouldn’t consume,...

More Articles

If you’re living with diabetes, snacking is a necessity because going for more than 3-4 hours without eating can be detrimental to your health....

For diabetics, choosing healthy snacks can be a daunting task.

A good rule of thumb is to pick out snacks that are rich in protein, fiber,...

According to information available through the National Institutes of Health, there’s an estimated 462 million people in the world who are...

Eleven Clinical Studies

After eleven clinical studies and 300,000 participants, researcher Vasanti Malik and her team of researchers...

Diabetic women often have a harder time losing weight than non-diabetic women. A study funded by Jenny Craig proved that diabetic women have an...

Many recent studies have proved that magnesium levels are lower in patients with diabetes than in non-diabetics. This magnesium...

Fluid retention, also known as edema, is a problem that affects many diabetics, especially those with type 2 diabetes...

Some of us might be thrilled if we could manage our blood sugar by sitting in a hot tub or sauna, instead of working up a sweat biking, or using...

Cooking and baking with the ancient cereal grain sorghum has health benefits for people with diabetes, and those with weight control issues....

When it comes to certain foods, there are always questions as to whether or not a diabetic can have them without...

Matcha tea is a rich, creamy, full-bodied beverage with amazing nutritional properties that address several diabetes health concerns.

The...

Salads are good example of foods that type 2 diabetics can enjoy with relatively low guilt. With the right greens and other elements added, salad...

Remaining gainfully employed is important to many people. Those who live with any form of diabetes may find that some lines of work are more...

Learning that you have diabetes does mean making some lifestyle changes. One of the areas that needs attention is your diet. Most people find that...

One of the more challenging aspects of life as a type 2 diabetic is managing your diet. There’s often the temptation to avoid certain foods...