It is easy to assume that people with type 2 diabetes do not need to rush into treatment. Most patients have no serious symptoms in the early stages, and only a very small number experience a rapid deterioration in their condition.
In fact, diabetes can carry a sharply higher risk of complications and death if patients do not begin drug treatment soon after diagnosis. When blood sugar remains high for an extended period, it damages the body's large and small blood vessels and nerves, potentially directly affecting a range of organs, including the retina, kidneys, heart, brain and feet.
A joint research team from Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine and Kangbuk Samsung Hospital said on the 26th that it had confirmed that patients with type 2 diabetes face a lower risk of death the sooner they begin drug treatment after diagnosis.
Using health screening and National Health Insurance data, the researchers analyzed when 23,452 Korean adults with type 2 diabetes began treatment with blood sugar-lowering drugs. The patients were divided into four groups: those who began taking medication within three months of diagnosis; those who began within six months; those who began within 12 months; and those who went more than 12 months without treatment.
After following the patients for five years, the researchers found a clear trend: The earlier treatment began, the lower the risk of major cardiovascular complications.
In particular, patients who began drug treatment within three months of diagnosis had a 69% lower risk of dying within five years than those who went more than 12 months without treatment. Diabetes, one of the most common chronic diseases, does indeed appear to have a golden window for treatment.
Because blood sugar control is crucial for people with diabetes, actively using medication early in treatment may have helped patients maintain healthy blood sugar levels, making long-term management easier and reducing the risk of complications.
However, the study found that more than half of all participants did not begin drug treatment for as long as five years after being diagnosed with diabetes. The research team believes many patients try to delay starting medication as long as possible because they feel burdened by the prospect of taking drugs for life and because they have no early symptoms.
Jang Yoo-soo, a professor at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital and the hospital's Cohort Research Institute, said, “We confirmed that active treatment in the early stages after a diabetes diagnosis is important. I hope this will serve as an opportunity to emphasize these benefits to patients who are postponing medication.”
