What are the key diabetes numbers you need to monitor? Discover the 8 crucial metrics to track for improved diabetes management and reduced risk of complications.

Unraveling the Diabetes Number Game

Diabetes management is a intricate dance with numbers. Beyond just blood sugar levels, there are at least eight different metrics that people with diabetes need to be familiar with to minimize the risk of serious complications. “Diabetes self-management is absolutely essential,” emphasizes Enrico Cagliero, MD, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. “Although managing these numbers may not improve diabetes symptoms directly, it can help decrease the risk of devastating outcomes like blindness or kidney failure down the line.”

Tracking Your A1C: The Big Picture

The A1C test is a crucial diagnostic tool that provides a snapshot of your average blood sugar levels over the past 2-3 months. Recommended by the American Diabetes Association, this lab test should be done at least twice a year. For most people with type 2 diabetes, the target A1C is below 7%. If your levels are higher, it may be time to reevaluate your diabetes management strategy. As George Grunberger, MD, of the Grunberger Diabetes Institute, explains, “Elevated blood sugar over the short term doesn’t hurt, but the higher the blood sugar, the more complications can develop.”

Monitoring Daily Blood Sugar Levels

Self-monitoring of blood sugar levels gives you real-time feedback on how your body is responding. Your doctor may recommend checking before and after meals, as well as at bedtime. For individuals with type 2 diabetes, the target blood sugar range is 70-130 mg/dL before meals, and less than 180 mg/dL within 1-2 hours after starting a meal. As Celia Levesque, CDE, a diabetes nurse practitioner at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, advises, “Make sure you’re eating right, and if your blood sugar is still high, you may need a medication adjustment.”

Maintaining Healthy Blood Pressure

People with diabetes face a heightened risk of heart disease, so monitoring blood pressure is crucial. The recommended target for individuals with diabetes is below 140/80 mmHg. Staying compliant with blood pressure medications, achieving a healthy weight, and limiting sodium intake can all help keep this number in check.

Optimizing Cholesterol Levels

High cholesterol is another significant heart disease risk factor for those with diabetes. Total cholesterol should be below 200 mg/dL, with LDL (bad) cholesterol under 100 mg/dL and HDL (good) cholesterol above 40 mg/dL for men and 50 mg/dL for women. Triglycerides, a type of blood fat, should be less than 150 mg/dL. Dietary changes, exercise, and cholesterol-lowering medications can all help manage these numbers.

Maintaining a Healthy Waistline

According to Dr. Grunberger, “Probably the one factor that’s overlooked most often is weight, or even better, waist circumference. It’s the most important determinant of cardiovascular outcomes.” Excess abdominal fat is associated with a higher risk of heart disease. Even modest weight loss of 5-10% can significantly improve blood sugar and blood pressure levels.

Monitoring Kidney Function

Diabetes can damage the kidneys over time, so an annual test for protein in the urine (microalbumin) is essential. Levels above 30 mg/day suggest early kidney damage, which is treatable if caught early. However, if the numbers rise above 300 mg/day, the damage is often irreversible, warns Levesque.

Balancing Calorie Intake

Rather than obsessing over carb, protein, or fat ratios, Levesque recommends focusing on total calorie control for better type 2 diabetes management. “If you’re eating cakes, pies, candy, and sweet drinks, you’re using up your calorie bank for things that don’t help your body,” she explains. “But a cookie here and there won’t hurt if you’re mindful of your overall calorie intake.”

By staying on top of these eight critical numbers, individuals with diabetes can take proactive steps to reduce their risk of devastating complications and improve their overall health and wellbeing. It’s a numbers game, but mastering the right metrics can be a game-changer in the fight against this chronic condition.

8 Diabetes Numbers You Need to Know (Pictures)

Understanding your diabetes numbers can help you feel better and have more control over the disease. Learn which numbers to watch and why.

By Jennifer WarnerMedically Reviewed by Farrokh Sohrabi, MD

Reviewed: March 21, 2014

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How to Manage Diabetes With Numbers

Diabetes self-management is a numbers game. But it’s not just about your blood sugar. There are at least eight different numbers you should be familiar with to lower your risk for complications from diabetes symptoms. “Diabetes self-management is absolutely essential,” says Enrico Cagliero, MD, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and an associate physician at the Massachusetts General Hospital Diabetes Center. “Although managing these numbers may not improve diabetes symptoms, it can help decrease the risk of serious complications such as blindness or kidney failure down the road. “

Know Your Numbers: A1C

The blood test A1C shows how well your diabetes treatment is working. This laboratory test measures your average blood sugar (glucose) level over the past two to three months. You should have an A1C test at least twice a year, according to the American Diabetes Association. Most people with type 2 diabetes should keep A1C levels below 7 percent. If your levels are higher, you may need to change your diabetes self-management strategy. “Elevated blood sugar over the short term doesn’t hurt,” says George Grunberger, MD, chairman of the Grunberger Diabetes Institute and a clinical professor at the Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit. “But the higher the blood sugar, the more complications can develop.”

Know Your Numbers: Blood Sugar

Blood sugar self-checks show what your blood sugar level is at that moment. Your doctor may recommend doing self-checks before or after meals and at night. Target blood sugar levels before meals for people with type 2 diabetes are 70 to 130, and less than 180 within one to two hours after the start of a meal. “Make sure you’re eating right, and if your blood sugar is still high, you may need a medication adjustment,” says Celia Levesque, CDE, a diabetes nurse practitioner and an advanced practice nurse at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Know Your Numbers: Blood Pressure

People with diabetes are much more likely to develop heart disease, so monitoring heart disease risk factors is a vital part of diabetes self-management. People with diabetes should keep their blood pressure below 140/80 mmHg. Taking blood pressure medications as directed, reaching or maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding foods high in sodium can help keep blood pressure under control.

Know Your Numbers: Cholesterol

High cholesterol is another heart disease risk factor that’s important to watch when you have diabetes. Total cholesterol should be below 200, with low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol, levels under 100 and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good” cholesterol, higher than 40 for men and 50 for women. Triglycerides, a type of fat found in your blood, should be less than 150 for both men and women. Limiting saturated fats found in meat, full-fat dairy products, and fried foods can reduce unhealthy cholesterol levels. Getting more physical activity and taking cholesterol-reducing drugs can also help you meet your target cholesterol levels.

Know Your Numbers: Waistline and Weight

“Probably the one factor that’s overlooked most often is weight, or even better, waist circumference,” Dr. Grunberger says. “It’s the most important determinant of cardiovascular outcomes.” People who carry more weight as fat around the waist are more likely to develop heart disease. Losing even just a little weight can help reduce your risk. Losing just 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can have significant improvement in your blood sugar and blood pressure.

Know Your Numbers: Kidney Function

A yearly test to check for protein in your urine can tell your doctor if diabetes has affected your kidneys. Kidney damage and failure is a common complication of diabetes. Microalbumin levels above 30 suggest kidney damage. It’s treatable if caught early, but if you wait until these numbers are above 300, the damage has a tendency to be permanent, Levesque says.

Know Your Numbers: Daily Calorie Count

Rather than counting carbs, Levesque recommends counting calories to better manage type 2 diabetes. “It’s not so much about fats, proteins, or carbs,” she says. “With type 2 diabetes, it’s about calorie control to get to a good body weight.” Recommended calories per day vary, but Levesque suggests a common-sense approach to calorie control. “If you’re eating cakes, pies, candy, and sweet drinks, you’re using up your calorie bank for things that don’t help your body,” she says. “But a cookie here and there won’t hurt as long as you eat healthy in general.”

Know Your Numbers: Exercise Minutes

At least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise each day is recommended for people with diabetes to help reduce the risk for complications. Regular exercise can lower blood sugar and “bad” cholesterol, help you lose weight, and keep your heart and body healthy. If you haven’t exercised in a while, check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program. Start with 5 to 10 minutes a day and aim to work up to at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise each week.

What Is Prediabetes? Symptoms, Treatments, and More

What is prediabetes? How do you know if you have it? How is it diagnosed? And what can you do about it if you have it? Get answers to your questions and learn more about this prevalent condition that is a precursor to type 2 diabetes.

What is prediabetes?

Prediabetes is a serious health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than they should be, but not high enough to be considered type 2 diabetes. Currently, more than 88 million American adults – more than one in three – have prediabetes, says the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), but more than 84% of these folks don’t know they have it.

Why is prediabetes so serious?

You might not think that prediabetes is something to worry about. After all, it’s “pre” and not diabetes. But if you have prediabetes, it’s a wakeup call to jump into action. Here’s why: left untreated, prediabetes can progress to type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes, in turn, can lead to a host of complications, including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, eye problems, nerve damage, and even amputation.

What causes prediabetes?

Prediabetes stems from a condition called insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone that is made by the pancreas and that helps move glucose (sugar) into cells to be used for energy. With prediabetes, insulin doesn’t work as well as it should to move glucose from the bloodstream into cells. The pancreas then goes into overdrive to make more insulin to help cells respond. But after a while, the pancreas tires out and can’t keep making more insulin. When this happens, blood sugar levels start to rise, leading to prediabetes and eventually, type 2 diabetes.

How long does it take for prediabetes to become type 2 diabetes?

With prediabetes, the window of opportunity to take action is relatively short. In fact, many people with prediabetes can develop type 2 diabetes within five years. One reason that people don’t act is that they may not know they have prediabetes; it can go undetected for a long time until type 2 diabetes shows up.

What are symptoms of prediabetes?

Here’s the tricky part: many people have no symptoms of prediabetes. This explains why it often goes undiagnosed for many years. Some people may notice areas of darkened skin in the armpits or on the back and sides of their neck. This is called acanthosis nigricans, a skin condition that can occur in people who are obese and/or who have type 2 diabetes.

Because you can’t rely on having symptoms, it’s important to talk with your health care provider about getting screened for prediabetes or diabetes. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued new guidelines in August 2021 for screening, recommending that adults aged 35 to 70 years of age who have overweight or obesity get screened for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, and that “clinicians should consider screening at an earlier age in persons from groups with disproportionately high incidence and prevalence (American Indian/Native American, Asian American, Black, Hispanic/Latino, or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander persons). ” Also, people with a family history of diabetes, a history of gestational diabetes, or a history of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may need screening at a younger age.

Who is at risk of prediabetes?

While you may not have any symptoms of prediabetes, you might have some risk factors. These include:

• Being overweight or obese
• Being 45 years of age or older
• Being African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American
• Having a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes
• Not doing enough physical activity
• Having had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) or giving birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds
• Having polycystic ovary syndrome

What if you’re at risk for prediabetes?

If you have any of the above risk factors, make sure you let your health care provider know. You’ll need a blood test to determine if you have prediabetes — or possibly even type 2 diabetes.

How is prediabetes diagnosed?

Prediabetes is diagnosed with a blood test. There are a few different blood tests that your provider may use. These include:

A fasting blood sugar test

You need to fast (not eat or drink) for at least 8 hours before the test

An A1C test

This blood test measures your average blood sugar over the past two to three months.

A glucose tolerance test

This test measures your blood sugar before and after you drink a liquid that contains glucose. You have to fast overnight before the test and have your blood drawn at one hour, two hours, and maybe three hours after drinking the glucose drink.

What do the results of the blood tests mean?

Your provider will determine which test is best for you. Whichever test you have, here is what the results mean:

DIABETES BLOOD TEST RESULTS
Result	Fasting Blood Sugar	A1C	Glucose Tolerance Test
Prediabetes	100-125 mg/dl	5. 7-6.4%	140-199 mg/dl
Type 2 diabetes	126 mg/dl or higher	6.5% or higher	200 mg/dl or higher
Normal	99 mg/dl or lower	Below 5.7%	140 mg/dl or lower

You have prediabetes — now what?

If your health care provider has told you that you have prediabetes, you might not be sure what that means or what you should do next. Understandably, you might also be worried that you’ll get diabetes. Here’s the good news: You may be able to prevent getting type 2 diabetes, or at least, delay it. Here’s how.

How to prevent type 2 diabetes

• Aim to lose a small amount of weight if you are overweight. A 5-7% weight loss helps to prevent type 2 diabetes.
• Be active for at least 150 minutes per week — you can break that down into doing 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
• Eat healthier. Cut out the sugary drinks, choose healthier carbs (those that are whole grain), choose healthier fats (vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, avocados), and eat less red meat and more poultry, fish, and beans.
• Stop smoking. Smokers are 50% more likely to develop diabetes.
• Drink alcohol in moderation (if you drink alcohol, that is). That means no more than one drink per day for women, and no more than two drinks per day for men.

In some cases, medicine may be used to treat prediabetes, although the FDA has not approved the use of medication to treat prediabetes. Metformin, a drug commonly used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, is often the medication of choice.

What else can you do to prevent diabetes?

Consider joining a lifestyle change program that is recognized by the CDC. This is called the National Diabetes Prevention Program. Here’s what you get if you join: A full year of support where you’ll learn how to eat healthy, increase physical activity, manage stress, stay motivated, and solve problems. Not bad! Plus, you’ll be with others in the same boat, and you’ll have an experienced coach who can help you reach your goals.

Many of these programs are offered virtually, and they may be offered through your local YMCA, too. To find a program in your area, visit the website of the CDC.

Can you reverse your prediabetes?

Yes, some people can. But it takes commitment to a healthy lifestyle. The chances of reversal also depend on how early you make these lifestyle changes. That’s why it’s so important to have support — either from your own health care team or from a program such as the National Diabetes Prevention Program.

Want to learn more about prediabetes? Read “Prediabetes: What to Know,” “Prediabetes Treatment” and “Should I Worry About Prediabetes?”

Diabetes mellitus – signs, symptoms and treatment of diabetes mellitus type 1, 2

Diabetes mellitus is an endocrine disease characterized by a chronic increase in blood sugar levels associated with a deficiency of insulin, a hormone of the pancreas. Diabetes mellitus has a chronic course, in which the metabolism of proteins, fats, carbohydrates is disturbed. When a disease occurs, a person needs to constantly monitor the level of sugar in the blood. To identify the presence of diabetes, you can go through all the necessary tests with us.

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This disease occurs not only in humans, but also in many animals. The incidence of diabetes is increasing every year. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus ranges from 1% to 8.6%. In children, this disease is much less common – 0.1-0.3% of cases.

Causes and symptoms of the disease

Causes of diabetes0023 . It has been noted that the risk of developing diabetes is higher in those people who have relatives with this disease. In a child, diabetes mellitus can develop in 3-9% of cases if one of the parents is sick;

eating disorders . A certain amount of substances necessary for its normal functioning must enter the human body with food. There should not be an oversupply or deficiency. Eating foods high in carbohydrates and low in fiber leads to the development of obesity, and as a result, the likelihood of developing diabetes is higher;

There are the following symptoms of the disease, which can be used to judge the presence of diabetes:

• increased thirst;
• “causeless” itching;
• slow wound healing;
• weight loss;
• frequent urination;
• weakness, high fatigue;
• blurred vision;
• dizziness;
• numbness in limbs, etc.

Types of diabetes mellitus

Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong disease that most often develops in people under forty years of age. The disease is severe and requires constant insulin injections. Insulin is administered at the same time as meals. At the same time, a strict diet is observed, excluding fruit juices, lemonades, sweets and sugar. In type 1 diabetes, pancreatic cells are destroyed. Massive death of endocrine cells also occurs in the event of oncological diseases, viral infections, stressful conditions, and many others. others

Type 2 diabetes is characterized by onset at a later age due to obesity. With excess body weight, the cells are heavily overloaded with nutrients, as a result of which they lose sensitivity to insulin. In this case, not all patients require insulin treatment. First of all, a special diet is prescribed. In this case, you must follow all the recommendations given by the doctor.

Women may develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy. After childbirth, it can completely disappear or significantly decrease. However, during pregnancy, this type of diabetes mellitus causes great damage to the health of the mother and fetus. Women with gestational diabetes also have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Under the influence of diabetes, a child can get various deformities or malformations, as well as have a lot of weight.

In case of diabetes, a sick person may experience a number of the following complications:

1. Hypoglycemia – a severe decrease in blood glucose. May occur due to an overdose of sugar-lowering drugs. At the same time, a person needs to urgently eat something sweet, rich in carbohydrates. Special solutions of glucose are also introduced to increase its level in the blood.
2. Diabetic ketoacidosis is one of the most dangerous consequences of lack of insulin, which can put a person into a coma in a matter of days. It occurs because the body cannot use sugar (glucose) as an energy source, and instead of glucose, it begins to use fat as an energy replenishment source. When fat breaks down, ketones are formed, which are poisonous to the body in large quantities. A person has a loss of consciousness and vital functions are disturbed.
3. Lactic acid coma appears in patients with the accumulation of lactic acid in the body.
4. Hyperosmolar coma is caused by severe dehydration.

Late complications that develop over a very long time include:

• damage to the retina.
• Vascular permeability disorders.
• Thrombosis.
• Peripheral neuropathies (loss of sensation in the limbs).
• Pain in the joints.
• Kidney lesions.
• Cataracts.
• Changes in mood and psyche.
• Diabetic foot (damage to the feet in the form of ulcers, purulent-necrotic processes), which is the reason for amputation.

How to get tested for diabetes?

An accurate diagnosis must be established before treatment of diabetes mellitus can be started. To do this, you need to donate blood from a finger for analysis. It is taken strictly on an empty stomach. If the result on different days showed a sugar content of more than 7.0 mmol / l, this indicates the presence of diabetes. If the value is below 7.0 mmol / l, but more than 5.6 mmol / l, then a glucose tolerance test is performed.

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Blood Sugar Targets and Recommendations

Understanding blood glucose levels is a key skill in diabetes self-management. In this article, we look at target blood sugar ranges for people without diabetes and for adults and children with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

If you are self-checking with a glucometer, you need to understand what the numbers (blood sugar readings) mean.

Recommended blood sugar levels are subject to individual interpretation, so you should discuss your target blood sugar ranges with your doctor.

The following ranges are guidelines provided by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), but each person’s target range should be agreed upon by their physician or diabetes consultant.

Recommended blood glucose levels

The NICE recommended blood glucose levels are listed below for adults with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and children with type 1 diabetes.

In addition, the target group of the International Diabetes Federation for people without diabetes is indicated.

The table gives general recommendations. The individual goal set by your doctor is the one you should aim for.

Normal and diabetic blood sugar levels

For most healthy people, normal blood sugar levels are:

• 4.0 to 5.4 mmol/L when fasting.
• up to 7.8 mmol/l 2 hours after eating.

For people with diabetes, blood sugar levels are as follows:

• Before meals : 4 to 7 mmol/l for people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
• After a meal : up to 9 mmol/l for people with type 1 diabetes and less than 8.5 mmol/l for people with type 2 diabetes.

Blood sugar level in diagnosing diabetes

The following table lists the criteria for diagnosing diabetes and prediabetes.

A blood sample for a random plasma glucose test can be taken at any time. It does not require such planning and is therefore used in the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes when time is of the essence.

Fasting Plasma Glucose Test

Fasting Plasma Glucose Test is taken after at least eight hours of fasting and is therefore usually taken in the morning. The NICE guidelines consider a fasting plasma glucose result from 5.5 to 6.9 mmol/L, because someone has a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, especially when accompanied by other risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes.

Glucose tolerance test (OGTT)

An oral glucose tolerance test involves taking a first fasting blood sample and then taking a very sweet drink containing 75 g of glucose.

After drinking this drink, you need to remain still until another blood sample is taken 2 hours later.