Controlling blood sugar lowers the risk of heart problems in diabetics by 17 percent, a new sudy finds.

People with Type 2 diabetes, which accounts for 90 percent of diabetes cases, are two-to-four times more likely to develop heart disease, the American Heart Association says.

Veterans Administration researchers followed some 1,800 veterans with Type 2 diabetes for nearly 10 years.

The study found that blood sugar control lowered risk of cardiac complications by 17 percent. This included heart attack, stroke, heart failure, or limb amputation.

The study recommended diabetics follow this drug regimen: metformin to control blood sugar, a statin to control cholesterol and other blood lipids, a blood pressure medication, and aspirin.