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NOTE:
unless noted otherwise, all medical/health advice has been given by non-medically qualified personnel. All advice given on this site is designed to support and not replace any advice given by your personal physician. If you have questions or concerns about individual health matters or the management of your diabetes, please consult your diabetes care team.
unless noted otherwise, all medical/health advice has been given by non-medically qualified personnel. All advice given on this site is designed to support and not replace any advice given by your personal physician. If you have questions or concerns about individual health matters or the management of your diabetes, please consult your diabetes care team.
What is "Diabetes Control"?
In simple terms, "diabetes control" means keeping blood glucose levels within - or close to - the normal range.
Why is control important?
Control is important because it will improve your odds against developing more serious health problems related to diabetes. These are known as long- term 'complications' of diabetes and include:
Two studies that are often mentioned in this respect are:
The DCCT conclusively demonstrated that lowering blood glucose to near- normal levels decreases the risk of both the development and the progression of complications, in people with Type 1 diabetes, by a massive 40 - 75%. Five years later, the results of the UKPDS confirmed the relationship between blood glucose control and complications in Type 2 diabetes.
Blood glucose control can help you to avoid complications or, if you already have complications, it can limit their progression. So the message is clear - CONTROL MATTERS!
It is true that nothing is 100 % certain with diabetes. A few unlucky people may develop complications, in spite of meticulously controlling their blood glucose levels. A few very lucky people may not develop any complications, in spite of having neglected their diabetes for many years. But we now have a great deal of evidence supporting the fact that good control of blood glucose levels will improve your chances in the long run.
How do I achieve control?
You will be prescribed treatment for your diabetes, which is appropriate to you and your circumstances. It may simply be a recommendation that you make some changes to your lifestyle, or it may be that you need to have multiple daily injections of insulin. Your treatment should help you to control your blood glucose levels, but it will only work if you work with it.
To work with it, you will need to do certain things each and every day - perform finger-prick blood glucose tests, make decisions concerning your medication, the food that you eat... and so on. This forms the basis of diabetes self-management. And it is these self-care skills that will make the difference.
So, the appropriate treatment, with good self-care should help you to achieve control of your diabetes. In addition, you should learn as much as you can about diabetes and how it is managed - this will help you to control your diabetes to the best of your ability AND enjoy life to the full.
Levels of Control
Intensive Therapy and Tight Control
The DCCT and UKPDS both employed 'intensive' treatment approaches in a group of people and compared the results with 'conventional' treatment in another group of people. Those people receiving intensive treatment achieved better control and fared better against the long-term complications of diabetes. Intensive therapy is therefore associated with 'tight' control of blood glucose levels.
Your Level of control
The level of control that YOU need to aim for will depend on a number of factors, including the following:
Diabetes management is more than blood glucose control
It is important to know that blood glucose control is only one aspect of diabetes management. Having diabetes places you at risk of developing a number of associated conditions such as high blood pressure and high blood fat levels; these add to the risk of developing complications later on in life. So your diabetes management (or lifestyle management) may need to take these factors into consideration as well.
You can read more about these other problems associated with diabetes that can lead to complications in "Complications".
In simple terms, "diabetes control" means keeping blood glucose levels within - or close to - the normal range.
Why is control important?
Control is important because it will improve your odds against developing more serious health problems related to diabetes. These are known as long- term 'complications' of diabetes and include:
- Eye disease, which can lead to some degree of vision loss
- Kidney disease, which can lead to kidney failure
- Nerve damage, which may cause severe pain and can also lead to numerous other conditions including impotence, digestive disorders and foot problems
- Heart and circulation problems, which may result in a heart attack or stroke
Two studies that are often mentioned in this respect are:
- The DCCT (Diabetes Control and Complications Trial), which was conducted over nine years in people with Type 1 diabetes; the results were published in 1993.
- The UKPDS (United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study), which was conducted over twenty years in people with Type 2 diabetes; the results were published in 1998.
The DCCT conclusively demonstrated that lowering blood glucose to near- normal levels decreases the risk of both the development and the progression of complications, in people with Type 1 diabetes, by a massive 40 - 75%. Five years later, the results of the UKPDS confirmed the relationship between blood glucose control and complications in Type 2 diabetes.
Blood glucose control can help you to avoid complications or, if you already have complications, it can limit their progression. So the message is clear - CONTROL MATTERS!
It is true that nothing is 100 % certain with diabetes. A few unlucky people may develop complications, in spite of meticulously controlling their blood glucose levels. A few very lucky people may not develop any complications, in spite of having neglected their diabetes for many years. But we now have a great deal of evidence supporting the fact that good control of blood glucose levels will improve your chances in the long run.
How do I achieve control?
You will be prescribed treatment for your diabetes, which is appropriate to you and your circumstances. It may simply be a recommendation that you make some changes to your lifestyle, or it may be that you need to have multiple daily injections of insulin. Your treatment should help you to control your blood glucose levels, but it will only work if you work with it.
To work with it, you will need to do certain things each and every day - perform finger-prick blood glucose tests, make decisions concerning your medication, the food that you eat... and so on. This forms the basis of diabetes self-management. And it is these self-care skills that will make the difference.
So, the appropriate treatment, with good self-care should help you to achieve control of your diabetes. In addition, you should learn as much as you can about diabetes and how it is managed - this will help you to control your diabetes to the best of your ability AND enjoy life to the full.
Levels of Control
Intensive Therapy and Tight Control
The DCCT and UKPDS both employed 'intensive' treatment approaches in a group of people and compared the results with 'conventional' treatment in another group of people. Those people receiving intensive treatment achieved better control and fared better against the long-term complications of diabetes. Intensive therapy is therefore associated with 'tight' control of blood glucose levels.
Your Level of control
The level of control that YOU need to aim for will depend on a number of factors, including the following:
- Your age and your lifestyle
- The type of diabetes that you have and the treatment approach
- Whether you are prone to severe low blood glucose (hypoglycaemia)
- Whether you already have any long-term complications of diabetes or other significant health problems
- Whether you are pregnant
Diabetes management is more than blood glucose control
It is important to know that blood glucose control is only one aspect of diabetes management. Having diabetes places you at risk of developing a number of associated conditions such as high blood pressure and high blood fat levels; these add to the risk of developing complications later on in life. So your diabetes management (or lifestyle management) may need to take these factors into consideration as well.
You can read more about these other problems associated with diabetes that can lead to complications in "Complications".
