Tuesday, November 27, 2012

How controlled is your blood sugar?



I am proud of my sister for keeping her blood sugar under control.  She was diagnosed a year ago with type 2 diabetes (approximately).  She attended diabetic education classes and learned how to care for her blood sugar.  Her recent A1C blood level was 6.1.  What does that mean?  A1C is a blood test which tells a person’s blood sugar level for the last 2-3 months.  (There is no ‘being sneaky and trying to fool the lab’.  A1C takes the sneaky out of blood sugar reports.) An A1C level of 6.1 means my sister has been doing an excellent job keeping her blood sugar level under control.  According to the American Diabetes Association website, a 6.0 A1C equals a blood sugar of 126. 
A new way to compare blood sugar levels is called Estimated Average Glucose or eAG.  A1C results give a percentage (like 6.1%).  The new eAG gives the same measurement as a person’s glucose meter (126 mg/dL).  So if you hear your doctor talking about your A1C or estimated average glucose, both are measuring how well you are controlling your blood sugar.  For more information about diabetes and controlling your blood sugar, see http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/treatment-and-care/blood-glucose-control/estimated-average-glucose.html

Now, to comment on my sister’s good report.  Yeah, sis.  I am proud of you.   

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