Background/aim: different guidelines provide similar, but not identical, therapeutic targets for HbA1c in type 2 diabetes. These targets can also depend on the different pharmacological strategies adopted for intensifying glycemic control. This editorial is aimed at providing a reference for the choice of glycemic targets in patients with type 2 diabetes, as recommended by the new Italian guidelines for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Methods and results: the present paper revised the recently published Italian guidelines for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (outpatients), either in primary care or specialist referral. The guideline has been developed following the methods described in the Manual of the National Guideline System (http://www.snlg-iss.it) by a panel nominated by the Società Italiana di Diabetologia (SID) and Associazione Medici Diabetologi (AMD).