Diabetics who use insulin pump therapy are half as likely to die from cardiovascular disease as those who take the hormone by multiple daily injections.

That’s the upshot of new research published in the British Medical Journal by Sahlgrenska Academy scientists.

The study, based on an analysis of the medical records of 18,168 Swedes with Type 1 diabetes from 2005 to 2012, found those who used pumps were 50 percent likely to die of heart attacks or other cardiovascular problems than those using insulin shots.

"We carefully analyzed the findings to eliminate the risk of bias or confounding and concluded that the effect had been fully verified," said Isabelle Steineck, a researcher at Sahlgrenska Academy.

Steineck said the insulin pump method is accompanied by more extensive patient training and more frequent blood glucose monitoring, which may account for the additional benefits.

"There is a rationale for insulin pump treatment resulting in more stable blood glucose concentrations than multiple daily injections" she said. "Previous studies have shown that insulin pump can reduce the frequencies of severe hypoglycemic episodes. Severe hypoglycemia can be a risk factor for cardiovascular events, particularly among high risk individuals."