Daijiworld Media Network – New York

New York, Dec 22: New research has found that bringing blood glucose levels back to the normal range through lifestyle changes could reduce the risk of heart attack, heart failure and premature death by nearly 50 per cent among people with prediabetes.

The findings, published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, suggest that remission of prediabetes — defined as achieving normal blood glucose levels — could become a new and measurable target in clinical guidelines.

Researchers said a fasting blood glucose level of under 97 milligrams per decilitre emerged as a simple and reliable marker linked to a persistently lower risk of heart disease, irrespective of a person’s age, weight or ethnic background. They noted that this threshold could be easily applied in primary healthcare settings across the world, making prevention efforts more practical and measurable.

“Our results suggest that remission of prediabetes not only delays or prevents the onset of type 2 diabetes, as already known, but also protects people from serious cardiovascular diseases in the long term, over decades,” said Dr Andreas Birkenfeld, senior author of the study and medical director at University Hospital Tübingen, Germany.

The international research team, which included scientists from the US and China, analysed long-term data from over 2,400 individuals with prediabetes. The analysis showed that participants who achieved remission experienced about a 50 per cent reduction in cardiovascular-related deaths, along with a significant decrease in overall mortality.

The US-based study tracked participants for 20 years, while the Chinese study followed individuals for 30 years, providing strong evidence of long-term benefits.

Traditionally, cardiovascular disease prevention has focused on three main pillars — controlling blood pressure, lowering LDL cholesterol and quitting smoking. Based on the new findings, researchers said a fourth pillar could be added: sustained normalisation of blood glucose levels in people with prediabetes.

“Reaching prediabetes remission is linked to decades-long benefits, halving the risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalisation for heart failure across diverse populations,” the authors noted, adding that targeting remission could represent a new approach to cardiovascular prevention.

Highlighting the importance of early intervention, Birkenfeld said, “We see a clear therapeutic window. If glucose levels are normalised at the prediabetes stage, the long-term risk of heart attack, heart failure and premature death can be markedly reduced.”

He added that the findings strongly support making prediabetes remission a primary treatment goal in future guidelines aimed at preventing diabetes and cardiovascular disease.