	Volume 9, Issue 3, Summer 2008

Tight control of your diabetes

Research shows that when people with diabetes practice tight control -- keep their blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible -- they lower their risk of eye, heart, kidney and nerve diseases.

The difference between tight and standard control

Close-up photo: One hand holds a blood glucose monitor, while the other hand is held above the monitor with a drop of blood it on its pointer finger. The reading on the monitor is 173.

Standard control usually involves no more than two daily blood glucose tests. Tight control requires you to check your blood glucose more often and may require more medicine. If you take insulin, you decide what your next dose should be depending on your test readings.

Tight control also means you must work closely with your health care team to develop a plan for eating, exercise, and medicines that you can stick with.

Who should practice tight control?

Any adult with type 2 diabetes can benefit from tight control.

People with type 1 diabetes who do not fall into these categories may benefit:

children under age 13
people with end-stage kidney disease, severe vision problems or coronary artery disease
people who do not feel warning signs when their blood glucose becomes too low (Tight control brings a higher risk of low blood glucose).

Practicing tight control is challenging. Thinking positively can help. It's good to remember that the better you control your blood glucose, the better your chances are of avoiding a heart attack, kidney disease, vision problems, and nerve damage.

Help from your care team

Ask your doctor if you are a good candidate for tight control. If you are, and you decide to try it, your diabetes care team will help you to figure out…

what your blood glucose level should be before and after meals
how to adjust your insulin to your lifestyle -- the type of work you do, your level of activity, the food you eat and when you eat it
how often you should meet with a dietitian to review what you eat
how you should take care of your diabetes if you become pregnant
what your family and friends should do if your blood glucose becomes so low that you need their help.

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Related Resources

Allina Medical Clinic - Diabetes Education

Diabetes, endocrinology and metabolism specialists

Source: American Diabetes Association; The Diabetes Control and Complication Trial Research Group, The effect of intensive treatment of diabetes on the development and progression of long-term complications in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. New England Journal of Medicine 1993 Sep 30;329(14):977-986; National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Disorders

First published: 02/15/2000
Last updated: 07/15/2008

Reviewed by: Mary Frederick, RN, MS, CDE, diabetes program manager, Allina Medical Clinic

Dialog: Living with Diabetes comes courtesy of Allina.com. Part of Allina Hospitals & Clinics, the Web site offers reliable health and wellness information, physician referral and other health resources, especially for people who live in Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

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