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The ABCs of Diabetes

My youngest child has recently been learning the alphabet and beginning to put words together. While most of us probably cannot remember a time when we did not know our ABCs, I cannot say the same for many of my patients and their diabetes knowledge. Just as the ABCs are a building block for the development of language skills, diabetes has its own ABCs you'll want to learn to get your diabetes under control and prevent complications.

The hemoglobin A1C test helps you see how your blood sugar was controlled over the last several months. You need to have your A1C checked at least two times per year. In order to lower your risk of diabetic complications, most patients will want an A1C of less than 7%. However, everyone’s body is different, so make sure you and your doctor talk about an appropriate hemoglobin A1C goal for your diabetes.

The other A is for aspirin. Taking a daily aspirin lowers your risk of heart disease, so it is a very important preventive measure for many people with diabetes. Because not every person managing diabetes needs aspirin, talk with your doctor about your risk of developing heart disease and the best preventative action to take.

Maintaining normal blood pressure and reducing elevated blood pressure or hypertension is an important part of your diabetes care. Poor blood pressure control can lead to problems with your eyes, heart, or kidneys.

You will have your blood pressure checked at every doctor's visit. Although every person is different, most people with diabetes have a blood pressure goal of less than 130/80. Some blood pressure medications, like ace inhibitors, not only lower your blood pressure, but also decrease risk from other complications of diabetes.

Cholesterol is a form of fat that is more likely to be elevated in diabetes patients. High levels increase your risk of stroke and heart attack.

You may have heard of the terms ‘good’ or ‘bad’ cholesterol. The goal of treatment is to lower bad cholesterol (LDL) or raise good cholesterol (HDL). Your doctor may also talk about your triglycerides with you. Cholesterol goals are:

• LDL cholesterol less than 100 mg/ dl
• HDL cholesterol greater than 40 mg/dl
• Triglycerides less than 150 mg/dl

While many people want a medication to fix their blood sugar problem, a diabetes educator can help you better understand your disease and help you deal with common symptoms many people don't recognize. Surprisingly, these educators are often underutilized. If you have never seen a diabetes educator, talk with your doctor about a referral.

Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness in the United States. Losing eyesight from diabetes is preventable with good control and regular eye exams. People with type 2 diabetes can see their eye doctors shortly after getting diagnosed and then check in at least once per year.

Good foot care is essential for your diabetes health. Failing to take care of your feet can lead to infections, ulcers and ultimately the loss of toes or your entire foot. Regular foot exams can identify a problem before you develop a serious complication.

Flu shots are recommended for nearly all people with diabetes, but many patients avoid them. However, you are taking great risks if you do not receive this preventive vaccine. People with diabetes are three times more likely to be hospitalized or die from the flu compared to those without diabetes. Additionally, they are more likely to develop flu complications.

These ABCs of diabetes can be the building blocks you need to better understand and control this chronic, but manageable, condition.