Timely Tip: Keeping Track of Your Diabetes

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Staying on track with your diabetes helps you feel well and stay healthy. By tracking your blood test results and taking action if you need to, you can keep your diabetes in control. By keeping blood sugars at goal, you can lower your risk of vision loss, kidney failure and nerve damage.

How can I stay on track?

By using your blood sugar meter
Checking your blood sugar each day with a blood glucose meter is an important tool you can use to manage your diabetes. Using your meter daily can help you make decisions about healthy eating, physical activity, and for some people, how much medicine or insulin to take. Daily blood sugar checks help you know if your diabetes treatment plan is helping you to stay on track or not.

By getting routine diabetes blood tests
A hemoglobin A1C blood test (shown on your lab results as HGBA1C) also helps you track your progress over time. The A1C test measures how close to target your blood sugar has been over several months. Your A1C lab result is written as a percentage (%). A1C now comes with an estimated average glucose result (or eAG). The eAG result is calculated from the A1C. Estimated average glucose (eAG) uses the same units you see on your blood sugar meter “mg/dL.” Both tests give you and your health care team important information about your blood sugar control. Your doctor will order this blood test for you at least once a year.

Comparison of A1C and eAG results

A1C (%)	eAG (mg/dL)
6	126
6.5	140
7	154
7.5	169
8	183
8.5	197
9	212
9.5	226
10	240

Is your A1C over 8 percent or eAG over 180? If so, then many of your blood sugars have been above goal. Higher blood sugars put you at greater risk for diabetes complications. Contact your health care team to review and change your treatment plan to lower your blood sugars. Remember, by keeping your blood sugars in the goal range, you reduce your risk of developing kidney, eye, or foot problems.

Your diabetes treatment plan may include:

• Taking oral medications and/or insulin to control your blood sugars.
• Taking oral medications to control blood pressure, lower cholesterol and protect against heart attacks and strokes.
• Learning about eating smaller food portions or how to eat more regularly.
• Aiming for daily physical activity.
• Checking your blood sugar with a meter regularly
• Learning about ways to manage your mood or stress levels.

Staying on track with your diabetes means that you should:

• Get your A1C and eAG test done at least once a year.
• Get blood pressure checks, cholesterol testing and other lab testing done as advised by your health care team.
• Discuss your results with your health care team.

To learn more about diabetes:

• Watch our Insulin for Diabetes Videos to learn more about preventing complications and how insulin can help you meet your diabetes goals.
• Attend a diabetes class. To locate a class near you go to Health Classes or call your local Kaiser Permanente Health Education Department.
• Try a Diabetes personalized online program called HealthMedia® Care™ for Diabetes.
• Visit “My Health Manager.” Here you can track the results of all your labs, order your prescription medications, and much more. Click here to set up an account to access these secure features.
• For more information on lowering your risk for heart attack and stroke read PHASE: Prevent Heart Attacks and Strokes Everyday.

Disclaimer
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