The basic principle of treatment/management of diabetes, both type-1 as well as type-2 diabetes and also other types of diabetes is to achieve goals of treatment of diabetes, which are (1) remove symptoms due to hyperglycemia (2) to allow the patient to live as normal a life as possible and (3) reduce or eliminate the long-term vascular complications (micro-vascular as well as macro-vascular complications) of diabetes.

To achieve the above goals in diabetes treatment the doctor need to set a target level of glycemic control (plasma glucose level) for each patient and for that the doctor should provide the diabetic patient with the pharmacological and educational support necessary to reach the target level, and also monitor as well as treat diabetes related complications, which may occur. The symptoms of diabetes due to hyperglycemia usually disappear when blood glucose level is below 11.1 mmol/Liter (200 mg/100 ml) and that is why the treatment of diabetes is generally focused on achieving the 2^nd and 3^rd goals.

The management of diabetes (all types of diabetes) requires a multidisciplinary approach and active patient participation with input, and enthusiasm, successful and optimal diabetes management. The doctor (the primary care provider or the endocrinologist or diabetologist) should be supported by certified diabetes educator, and nutritionist for optimal health care delivery to diabetes patients. Diabetes complications should be managed by neurologists, nephrologists, vascular surgeons, cardiologists, ophthalmologists, and podiatrists (according to the complication) or these specialist doctors should do periodic check-up for complication. As diabetes have impact on social, family, financial, cultural, and employment-related issues, people from other walks of society also should be involved such as social workers, NGOs, psychologists etc. for better management.

For optimal management of diabetes a “comprehensive diabetes care” is essential, because optimal diabetes management require more than plasma glucose management, although the main aspect of optimal diabetes treatment is glycemic control.

The aim of treatment (better term is management) of diabetes (all types of diabetes) is to achieve the following goals (as recommended by American Diabetes Association):

• Fasting (8 hours without calorie intake) capillary plasma glucose: 5.0–7.2 mmol/L (90–130 mg/100ml)
• Peak postprandial (1-2 hours after meal) capillary plasma glucose: below 10.0 mmol/L (180 mg/100ml)
• Blood pressure: below 130/80 mmHg.
• LDL (low-density lipoprotein): below 2.6 mmol/L (100 mg/100ml)
• High-density lipoprotein: more than 1.1 mmol/L (40 mg/100ml)
• Triglycerides: below 1.7 mmol/L (<150 mg/100ml)

As the resources available for diabetic care varies in different countries, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), has issued guidelines for (1) standard care (where well-developed service base and health care funding systems is available and consumes a significant part of national wealth), (2) minimal care (with minimal health care settings and very limited resources), and (3) comprehensive care (health care settings with considerable resources).