New research suggests that Type 2 diabetics, whose low-blood sugar episodes are serious enough to land them in the hospital, are at a higher risk of being diagnosed with dementia, Alzheimer's being the most common form of dementia, later on in life.

Evaluating the health records of over 16,000 people with type 2 diabetes, Kaiser Permanente researchers tracked episodes of severe hypoglycemia i. e. low blood sugar over a 22-year period. The patients were then followed for four more years to track any diagnoses of dementia.

The authors of the study reporting in the Journal of the American Medical Association say, patients with one severe hypoglycemia episode had a 26% increased risk of dementia; two episodes increased the risk by 80% increased risk; three or more episodes nearly doubled the risk, as compared to those had no hypoglycemic episodes.

While, there is considerable research suggesting diabetics are more at risk for dementia, the reason is unclear, with the authors of the new study suggesting diabetes drugs that induce hypoglycemia, may cause brain-cell death in older people.

The study shows that aggressive measures to control blood sugar can cause harm in elderly diabetics. What is required is a balance of blood sugar i. e. neither too high nor too low. A number of things like a missed meal can cause severe low blood sugar in diabetics, though the chief cause is too much insulin, especially in people taking insulin injections or those taking oral diabetes drugs like sulfanylureas or glimepiride that cause the body to produce more insulin.

As well, three recent trials revealed tight glycemic control could also cause heart disease and death in some elderly diabetics.