The complications of T2D lead to substantially increased risk of hypertension, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the development of heart failure. CVD is the most common cause of death in European adults with diabetes, and the risk of developing CVD is double of that observed in individuals without diabetes. Lowering HbA1c in type 2 diabetes decreases the absolute risk of developing CVD by 5-17 %, as well as decreasing all-cause mortality by 6-15 %.