Managing Diabetes: Treatment Goals
There is no cure for diabetes, so treatment focuses on managing it. Good diabetes management can reduce the risk of long-term complications, such as heart disease and vision loss, and keep you as healthy as possible for as long as possible.
Because diabetes affects your entire body, literally from head to toe, your diabetes healthcare team may, in addition to your primary physician or endocrinologist, include a nurse-educator, registered dietician, dentist, eye doctor, exercise physiologist, podiatrist (foot specialist), and other health professionals. You are an important part of your healthcare team as well.
The best way to manage diabetes successfully is to work closely with your healthcare team to create a personal diabetes management plan that's right for you. A good management plan will help you work toward specific targets, including blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.
The American Diabetes Association recommends the following treatment goals (your goals may differ, depending on your health history):
Hemoglobin A1c: Less than 7%
Blood sugar before a meal (preprandial plasma glucose): 70–130 mg/dL
Blood sugar 1–2 hours after a meal (postprandial plasma glucose): Less than 180 mg/dL
Blood pressure: Lower than 130/80 mm Hg
LDL (bad) cholesterol: Less than 100 mg/dL
HDL (good) cholesterol: Over 40 mg/dL for men; over 50 mg/dL for women
Triglycerides: Less than 150 mg/dL
With regular monitoring every 2–3 months, you and your doctor can check whether your treatment plan is helping you meet these goals and can make adjustments as needed.
Good diabetes care should also include steps to maintain oral/dental health, eye health, kidney health, mental health, and foot health through self-care, regular checkups, and, when necessary, appropriate treatment.
