Charity: Diabetes control is key

A British charity has said research showing the benefits of intensive insulin treatment to type two diabetes sufferers could lead to greater control of the disease.

Diabetes UK said regulating the effects of type two diabetes was imperative to prevent patients developing life-threatening complications including heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, amputation and blindness.

On Friday a Chinese study published in the Lancet showed a short course of early injections resulted in patients regaining blood glucose control a year after treatment began.

Diabetes UK care advisor Pav Pank commented: "The research shows that considering using insulin early when people are first diagnosed with type two diabetes might be an additional way to achieve good diabetes management.

"Nevertheless decisions about treatment need to be made on an individual basis for each patient. As using insulin introduces the risk of having hypos, good patient education on self-management is also crucial."