The ABCs of Diabetes

The most motivated clients I work with are those who have already had a stroke or heart attack, or who have gotten one or more of the complications of diabetes. Because they now realize that  merely knowing their blood glucose numbers isn't enough to safeguard their health , these clients take great care to control their diabetes. I'm going to discuss some other important numbers you can use to track how well you are controlling your diabetes. 

Diabetes Acts Like Cardiovascular Disease

This disease can produce many of the same ills and impairments as heart disease does in the body. For example, the risk of heart disease or stroke in someone with diabetes is two to four times higher than for a person without diabetes. This is why, in order to get good control over your diabetes, you must know several other important numbers.

I often ask my clients if they know their A1C or cholesterol levels, and their answer is often, "No, but my doctor said it was OK." Please don't allow yourself to have such a vague notion about numbers as important as these. Diabetes is often a "silent disease" until its complications hit. Avoiding these serious risks of diabetes should be your incentive to take control and to know your numbers.

One way to remember your numbers is by the ABCs.

"A" is for your A1C Level

This number is an average of your blood glucose levels over the last two to three months. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that you aim for an A1C level of seven percent or less. Something called the estimated average glucose, or eAG, is another way to report A1C. This number converts your A1C into what the actual glucose reading on your meter would be. For example, an A1C of seven percent is equivalent to an eAG of 154 mg/dL.

If your A1C is above seven percent, lowering it by just one percentage point reduces your risk of developing kidney, eye, or nerve diseases by 40 percent. Your doctor should do an A1C test at least every 6 months--more often if you're not below the recommended seven percent target. Know your number.

"B" is for your Blood Pressure

People with diabetes need to keep their blood pressure a bit lower than does the general population--less than 130/80 mmHg. This is necessary because if your blood pressure is higher than this, your risks of stroke, heart attack, and kidney disease are also higher. Get your blood pressure checked every time you see a doctor--and know your number.

"C" is for your Cholesterol

Your cholesterol level is not just a single number. The medical term to describe a person's cholesterol status is a "lipid profile," and it consists of your total cholesterol, your LDL (or "bad") cholesterol, your HDL (or "good") cholesterol, and your triglycerides. Targets for your lipid panel are:

• Total cholesterol -- less than 200 mg/dL
• LDL, or "bad" cholesterol -- less than 100 mg/dL
• HDL, or "good" cholesterol -- greater than 40 mg/dL for men and greater than 50 mg/dL for women
• Triglycerides -- less than 150 mg/dL

Keeping your cholesterol levels in check can also prevent a stroke or heart attack. Know your numbers.

How to use these numbers 

If your numbers show that you are meeting your ABC goals, great work! If not, talk with your health care team about what steps you can take to get your numbers under better control.

Don't let a stroke or heart attack or a serious complication of diabetes suddenly motivate you to get control of your diabetes. Make the changes today that will allow you to know and control your ABCs.