ACCORD is a five to eight-year program sponsored by the National Institute of Health and currently is conducted in more than 70 medical clinics in the United States and Canada. In the US approximately 16 million people, nearly six percent of the population, live with diabetes. Those with Type 2 diabetes have additional problems with high blood pressure as well as high cholesterol, which combined with diabetes can add to a higher risk of heart disease.

The ACCORD study is aimed at testing the effects of intensive control of blood sugars on risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke. Each patient will also be studied for the effects of intensive control of blood pressure or cholesterol on these effects as well.