August 8, 2005
Blood Tests and Insulin Injections, Type 2
Question from Sunnyside, Washington, USA:
How bad/dangerous is it to have a blood glucose level of 198 mg/dl [11.0 mmol/L] or even 205 mg/dl [11.4 mmol/L] one hour after a meal? I know they want you under 140 mg/dl [7.8 mmol/L] at two hours, but what level should one try to maintain at other times? I am diet/exercise controlled with type 2 diabetes and have had a few levels like I wrote above, but, within the two hour period, my blood sugars went down within normal levels.
Answer:
In order to reduce your risk of complications, your goals should be:
A1c: less than 6.5%
Pre-meal checks: less than 120 mg/dl [6.7 mmol/L]
Two hours after the start of the meal: less than 140 mg/dl [7.8 mmol/L]
In addition, the peak rise after a meal should not exceed 180 mg/dl [10.0 mmol/L]
If you are getting readings higher than 180 mg/dl [10.0 mmol/L], write down exactly what you ate and how much and see if there is a pattern. Also, see if it happens on a particular day of the week or meal or in relation to any physical activity (for example, only on days that you do not exercise).
JS
