The impressive benefits related to the use of tight glucose control by intensive insulin therapy have not been reproduced until now in multicenter large-scale prospective randomized trials. Although the reasons for these failures are not entirely clear, we suggest the use of a stepwise approach - Safe, Effective Glucose Control - that will essentially target an intermediate blood glucose level. As compared with genuine tight glucose control, Safe, Effective Glucose Control - already used in many intensive care units worldwide - is intended to decrease the rate of hypoglycemia and the workload, while reducing the adverse effects of severe hyperglycemia.