Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, primarily used as a treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, improves glycemic (blood sugar) control during sleep in patients who also have type 2 diabetics, according to a report in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. The average decrease in nocturnal glucose level in diabetic patients was about 20 mg/dL. "The decrease was small in those with good glycemic control and much greater in those whose control was poor," Dr. Arthur Dawson from Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, California, told Reuters Health. This finding "suggests that treating obstructive sleep apnea could have a major impact on the management of those type 2 diabetics who, for whatever reason, cannot get their glucose levels down to the optimal range." Join discussion...

A new study found that a diet of "low-glycemic foods" -- such as beans, nuts, peas, lentils and pasta -- was superior to a high-cereal-fiber diet when it comes to lowering blood sugar and other risk factors for heart disease in people with diabetes Join discussion...