Diabetes 101
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Effects of high blood glucose
Your physician will define what your target blood glucose should be by
identifying a blood glucose target that is as close to normal as possible and
can safely be achieved given your overall medical health.
In general, high blood glucose, also called hyperglycemia, is often defined as a plasma blood glucose over 180 mg/dl two hours after eating or above 140 mg/dl before eating. Be sure to ask your doctor what he or she thinks is a safe target for your blood glucose levels before and after meals.
If your blood glucose runs high for long periods of time, this can pose significant problems for you long-term, including increased risk of complications such as eye disease, kidney disease, heart attacks and strokes and more. High blood glucose can pose health problems in the short-term as well. It is important to aim to keep your blood glucose under control, and treat hyperglycemia when it occurs.
There are many studies documenting the benefits of maintaining tight glucose control for People with type 1 diabetes, including these:
- Lowering blood glucose levels in people with type 1 diabetes reduces the risk of eye disease by 76% in the US 1983-99 (Diabetes Control and Complications Trial, NIH, 1983-1993)
- Lowering blood glucose levels in people with type 1 diabetes can slow the progression of eye disease by 54% in Australia 1983-99 (Diabetes Control and Complications Trial, NIH, 1983-1993)
- Lowering blood glucose levels in people with type 1 diabetes reduces the risk of kidney disease by 50% in the US 1983-99 (Diabetes Control and Complications Trial, NIH, 1983-1993)
- Lowering blood glucose levels in people with type 1 diabetes reduces the risk of nerve disease by 60% in the US 1983-99 (Diabetes Control and Complications Trial, NIH, 1983-1993)
- Lowering blood glucose levels in people with type 1 diabetes significantly reduces the risk of high cholesterol in the US 1983-99 (Diabetes Control and Complications Trial, NIH, 1983-1993)
- For a summary of the above findings, click here.