Glycemic Control and Excess Cardiovascular Mortality in Type 1 Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic systemic disease with multiple complications ranging from microvascular to macrovascular diseases. Type 1 diabetes comprises 5 % of adults with diabetes in the US. This population is shown to be at increased risk of cardiovascular events and mortality. Intensive glycemic control has been consistently associated with decreased microvascular complications but trials on macrovascular benefit yielded mixed results over the years. Recent data from long-term observational follow-up studies of major diabetes cardiovascular events and mortality are showing benefits that were not seen with the initial interventional trials. This article will review evidence on the effect of glycemic control on complications in diabetes mellitus with a focus on cardiovascular mortality in type 1 diabetes.