Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Dec 13: Prediabetic patients who successfully lower their blood sugar levels and achieve remission can reduce the risk of serious heart problems by almost 60 per cent, according to a new study published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.

The research, conducted by scientists at King’s College London, found that restoring blood glucose to normal levels—essentially reversing prediabetes—significantly lowers the chances of death from cardiovascular disease or hospitalisation due to heart failure. Participants who achieved remission showed a 58 per cent reduction in cardiovascular deaths or heart failure-related admissions, with benefits lasting decades after normalising glucose levels.

Lead author Dr. Andreas Birkenfeld explained that the findings challenge longstanding assumptions in preventive medicine. “For years, people with prediabetes were advised that weight loss, increased exercise, and healthier eating would protect them from heart attacks and early death. While these lifestyle changes remain valuable, evidence now shows they do not necessarily reduce cardiovascular risk in prediabetic individuals,” he said.

Instead, the study highlights that true remission of prediabetes—through meaningful metabolic changes—offers a clear reduction in fatal cardiac events, heart failure, and overall mortality. Prediabetes is defined as higher-than-normal blood glucose levels that have not yet reached the threshold for type 2 diabetes.

Earlier studies had indicated that lifestyle interventions alone, even if they delay the onset of diabetes, do not guarantee cardiovascular protection. Dr. Birkenfeld suggested that remission of prediabetes could become a fourth cornerstone of primary heart disease prevention, alongside controlling blood pressure, reducing cholesterol, and quitting smoking, offering a tangible way to prevent heart attacks and save lives.