Monitoring Your Diabetes Control
Home Blood Glucose Monitoring
I feel that this is the single most useful tool that you can use to assess your diabetes control. You can measure your blood sugar once or twice a day to help ensure that your diet, exercise, and medications are successful.
Goal Blood Sugar Levels
Fasting (a.m.) 80 – 120
Non-fasting (2 – 4 hours after eating) 100 – 160
In the office I will measure hemoglobin A1C level. This blood test measures the blood sugar control over the last three months. It gives us an average measurement of your blood sugar over the last three months and can be run whether you are fasting or not, here in the office. Research has found that the more normal your hemoglobin AlC level is, the less risk you have of damage to the heart, eyes, kidneys, and blood vessels. The hemoglobin A1C goal is less than 7. We should test this every three to four months.
Office Visits And Examinations
I would like to see you every three to four months. During these visits we will make sure that the blood pressure is well controlled, exam of the heart and lungs, and perform a foot examination.
In the laboratory, every three to four months we will check the hemoglobin AIC. On a yearly basis, it will be important to test the blood for cholesterol and lipid profile and kidney function. In addition, once a year I will test the urine for any trace amounts of protein (microalbumin), which can be a sign of early kidney damage. This is important to test for because early intervention can help delay kidney disease.
I will also ask you to see the ophthalmologist once a year to check for any signs of early eye damage from diabetes.
A stress test (exercise tolerance test) to check for heart damage will be recommended at appropriate intervals.
Finally, at home we want you to be careful to inspect your feet every day. I recommend doing this after bathing and recommend moisturizing skin lotion be massaged into the feet each day after bathing. This allows you to be certain to check your feet for any signs of cuts or tenderness, and also helps prevent drying and cracking of the feet.
General Health
Flu vaccines each fall and a pneumococcal vaccine every five years are strongly recommended as these infections can be much more serious in a person with diabetes.
Authored by: Theresa Vicroy, M.D.