Blood Glucose Goals
The evidence is solid. The facts are in. Good blood glucose control prevents or delays problems from diabetes, such as heart and kidney disease. So, what’s the bull’s eye for good control?
For Short-Term ControlWhen you check your blood glucose with a meter, you’re checking short-term control--what’s happening daily. It’s ideal to check blood glucose at various times during the day to see ups and downs—fasting, after dinner, when it’s too low, or after overindulging. The more data you collect, the better you and your health care provider can analyze the data and strategize to zero in on the bull’s eye.
Bull's Eye For Blood Glucose |
|
| Time | Goal |
| Fasting and before meals: | 80 to 120 |
| After meals (about 1 to 2 hours) | less than 160 to 180 |
| Bedtime | 100 to 140 |
To observe your ups and downs, without becoming a pincushion, design a rotating blood glucose testing pattern. Check your blood glucose a few times a day at different times. In just a few days, you’ve got results from around the clock. In the chart below (Rotating Blood Glucose Testing) is a four day sample pattern with two checks a day.
For Long-Term Control
When your hemoglobin A1c is checked, that’s feedback on your long-term control. Hemoglobin A1c is the measure of your average blood glucose control for the prior 8 to 12 weeks. It’s also called glycated hemoglobin, or simply A-1-C. The test requires a blood sample. It’s reported as a percent. The bull’s eye is 7% or less. Get your A-1-C measured two to four times a year.
Dare to Compare
It’s helpful to compare short- and long-term control. The chart below shows how. For example, if an A-1-C is 9%, that means blood glucose has been 210, on average. If your hitting the bull’s eye on both your short- and long-term control, pat yourself on the back! If they’re out of target range then it’s time to make changes in your diabetes plan.
Comparing Blood Glucose With HbA1c |
||
Average Glucose |
HbA1c, % | |
| 90 | Excellent |
5 |
| 120 | Excellent | 6 |
| 150 | Good | 7 |
| 180 | Good | 8 |
| 210 | Fair | 9 |
| 240 | Fair | 10 |
| 270 | Poor | 11 |
| 300 | Poor | 12 |
Rotating Blood Glucose Testing Pattern |
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| Fasting | 1-2 Hours After Breakfast | Before Lunch | 1-2 Hours After Lunch | Before Dinner | 1/2 Hours After Dinner | Bed Time | |
| Day 1 | X | X | |||||
| Day 2 | X | X | |||||
| Day 3 | X | X | |||||
| Day 4 | X | X | |||||