Tight treatment targets for people with diabetes have come into question with three recently published studies identifying no cardiovascular benefit of tight glycaemic control and one of these also demonstrating an increase in mortality rate. In all three studies, glycosylated haemoglobin (A_1c) levels were significantly reduced in individuals with or at high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). These studies have an impact on the target levels of A_1c recommended to people with type 2 diabetes.