Cohort studies are generally preferred to case control studies, since they involve far fewer statistical problems and generally produce more reliable answers.

Resting heart rate (RHR) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in the general population and case-control studies have reported a higher RHR in individuals with type 1 diabetes.

Of the available studies, 29 were cohort studies, 69 case-control studies, and 4 randomized clinical trials.