Scientists at Tufts University School of Medicine claim that the primary goal of treatment in type 2 diabetes is no longer blood glucose control. They published this work in the February 2014 issue of the journal, American Family Physician. Doctors have been imprinted with the concept that control diabetes and you'll control its complications; while this remains correct, it turns out that there are other factors that are even more important in preventing heart attacks, strokes, renal failure, peripheral neuropath and retinopathy that include smoking, uncontrolled hypertention, poor management of high cholesterol, and lack of the use of metformin (glucophage).
This doesn't mean forget about the importance of managing blood sugar levels, it just reinforces the importance of quitting smoking, managing hypertension and cholesterol, and using metformin when it is possible.