ACCORD stands for Action to Control of Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes. The ACCORD trial will find out whether very tight control of blood sugar levels, which means keeping the blood sugar close to normal at all times using oral medicines and insulin if necessary, prevents more heart attacks and strokes than our conventional care of blood sugar levels. It will also test whether very strict control of blood pressure will prevent more heart attacks than our usual care of blood pressure. Finally, ACCORD will also find out whether taking two medicines to control blood lipids, both cholesterol and triglyceride, is better than taking one medicine to control cholesterol only.
This study is so important because it will really tell us whether we should recommend that our patients with type 2 diabetes go that "extra mile" to obtain nearly normal glucose, blood pressure and lipid levels so that they can prevent heart problems and strokes. We already know that keeping your blood sugars as close to normal as possible prevents eye, kidney and nerve problems, but these problems are a little bit less common in older people with type 2 diabetes. It is really the heart problems and strokes that affect them most.
The ACCORD study will last seven years and participating patients will be followed closely by the Berrie Center staff during that time. For the first six months patients will be seen 1-2 times per month, and then every two months for the remainder of the study. Patients will be given extensive diabetes and nutrition education and free diabetes medicines and glucose meters with strips during the entire study, as well as either blood pressure medicines or cholesterol medicines. To be eligible to participate in the study you must have type 2 diabetes, be between the ages of 50 and 80, and either have heart problems or strokes or have risk factors for developing heart problems or strokes. Also your HbA1c must be between 7.5 and 12%.
If you are interested in finding out more about the ACCORD trial, please call our research nurse, Ms. Pat Kringas at (212) 851-5489 or discuss the study with your doctor at the center during your next appointment.
