The American College of Physicians (ACP) has released new guidelines recommending less intensive blood sugar control (A1C) targets for patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

According to the new guidelines, patients should be treated to achieve A1C levels between 7% and 8% — a lenient change from the previous 6.5% to 7% standard of the previous guidelines.

Although the A1C test indicates diabetes in a patient at 6.5% blood sugar level, evidence for a reduction in microvascular complications due to tighter treatment target levels is lacking, according to the ACP. The only proven reductions to come from earlier treatment due to stricter guideline levels are in surrogate microvascular complications, such as excess proteins in patients’ urine.

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