Poor control may be healthier for some diabetics

In some cases, although by no means all, high haemoglobin levels may be associated with an increased survival rate. The reversal of common medical theory that advises strict control is largely appropriate for diabetics suffering from advanced heart failure .
The study, which found that poor glucose control could perhaps help some patients, was carried out by a team in Los Angeles at the University of California. The study focused around a group of 49 diabetic patients who had A1c levels of less than seven (the ADA advise A1c of 7.0 or less as a target glucose level), and contrasted them with a further study group of 74 patients who had levels of over 7.0. All of the participants in the study were also suffering from advanced heart failure.
Following up the patients, the research team found that those patients who had poor glucose control were less likely to die than those who had strictly regimented their blood sugar levels. The research team hoped that the findings would prompt a further spate of study into diabetics with heart failure.
In most cases, poor control will not be beneficial to diabetic patients, and it is not recommended as a method of treatment .