Getting the Best Care for Your Diabetes Managing Diabetes Getting the Best Care for Your Diabetes

What are the Standards of Diabetes Care? Topics What are the Standards of Diabetes Care? How can you track your numbers and targets?

What to Check and How Often? At Provider Visits What to Check and How Often? Every Visit At Least Every 3-6 Months At Least Once a Year

Keeping Track Tracking Your Numbers and Targets My Visit Planning Tool or Page 5 in “Your Diabetes Survival Guide”

Keeping Track

Every Visit Every Visit Check/Review Blood Glucose Results Check Blood Pressure Review Meal Plan Review Activity Level Check Weight Ask About Smoking Status

Check/Review Your Blood Glucose Every Visit Check/Review Your Blood Glucose Keeping your blood glucose in the recommended target range can prevent or delay the long-term health problems caused by diabetes

Check Your Blood Pressure Every Visit Check Your Blood Pressure Measures the force of blood inside your blood vessels High blood pressure can lead to heart attack, stroke, eye problems and kidney disease Blood pressure of below 130/80 recommended

Review Your Meal Plan Every Visit Your Meal Plan: Helps you reach your blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol goals (the ABCs) Helps you reach or maintain a healthy weight

Review Your Activity Plan Every Visit Review Your Activity Plan Physical Activity: Lowers your blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol Lowers your risk for heart disease and stroke Helps you reach or maintain a healthy weight

Check Your Weight Every Visit If overweight, losing weight can help improve your blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels Weight losses of only 10-15 pounds can be beneficial

Ask if You Smoke Every Visit Smoking is Especially Harmful for People with Diabetes Harms blood vessels Raises risk of heart disease, heart attack, stroke and damage to the blood vessels in your feet and legs

At Least Every 3-6 Months Every 3-6 Months Check A1C Provides average blood sugar for the past 2-3 months Recommended level of below 7 for most people with diabetes

At Least Once a Year Check: Cholesterol Microalbumin Feet Eyes Flu Shot Pneumonia Vaccine Status

Cholesterol At Least Once a Year LDL (“bad” cholesterol) below 100 HDL (“good” cholesterol) above 50 (women) above 40 (men) Triglycerides below 150

Microalbumin At Least Once a Year Checks for small amounts of protein in your urine Tells you how well your kidneys are working

Foot Exam At Least Once a Year Checks for signs of nerve damage or other problems Foot problems can be avoided if detected and treated early

Eye Exam At Least Once a Year Will refer you to an eye doctor to check the blood vessels in your eyes Need to have drops in your eyes to dilate your pupils

Flu Shot At Least Once a Year Ask for each year to keep from getting sick

Pneumonia Vaccine One Time You should get the pneumonia vaccine at least once Get another pneumonia vaccine when you turn 65 (unless you have had one in the past 5 years)

What should happen at your provider visits? Review What should happen at your provider visits? How can you keep track of your results and targets?

For more information about diabetes please call 1-800-DIABETES or visit diabetes.org

Contact your local ADA at For More Information Contact your local ADA at 1-888-DIABETES to learn about activities and volunteer opportunities in your community