It is frequently said that the number-one diabetes-related problem (okay, at least top five) is underdiagnosis. A great many people (six million, at last estimate)  with the disease have no idea, but as the old saying goes, ignorance is not bliss. Here's just one example of why that's the case: a new study shows that if you should become critically ill for whatever reason, having high blood sugar increases your chance of death.

What's scary about this report is that researchers found your blood sugar does not have to be sky high. They say that blood sugar even slightly higher than normal is enough to put you at risk for dying in hospital. Those at greatest risk are people recovering from heart attacks, strokes or other cardiovascular ailments.

The study was conducted through an analysis of 216,000 intensive-care patients. The results were announced at the ongoing American Diabetes Association meeting in Washington. Intensive care patients need to have their blood sugar monitored carefully, say the researchers.