Doing a Diabetes Checklist

Managing diabetes is quite challenging to physicians and also tasking to the person living with diabetes. As diabetes are on the increase these days there are certain steps you must take on your own, while there are others you need to take in conjunction with your physicians and other genuine health care givers as there are quakes these days. These must be clearly spelt out.
it has been well established that diabetes can lead to long term complications in the eyes, nerves, kidneys and other organs of the body hence the need for close self monitoring helps to prevent or delay the occurrence of these complications, or when they are present ensure early detection and hence prevention of further untoward occurrence.
Diabetic patients should must be aware of the minimum examination that should be carried out on them by their health care providers at every visit and those that must be carried out at least once in a year. Similarly, there are certain tests that they ought to do in the laboratory at specified periods of time in the year.
At every visit to the physician your blood pressure should be checked and your feet should be inspected. The blood test called A1c (Glycosylated haemoglobin, HBA1c) which is the best index for monitoring diabetes control as each result gives a summary of how well controlled the blood sugar level has been in the last eight to twelve weeks should be done about four times in a year.
At least once in a year, a comprehensive examination of the feet should be carried out by the health care giver. Also, a comprehensive examination of the eye by an Ophthalmologist and of the teeth by a Dentist should be carried out. In the same vein a comprehensive laboratory test of kidney function should be carried out, this will include the test called microlbuminuria in the urine and creatinine and urea in the blood.
the frequency of your personal blood sugar checks at home with your glucometer should be arrived at in conjunction with your Doctor. These home records should be shown to physician at each visit because these records play a role in the adjustment of your medications.
Your goals for blood sugar and blood pressure control should be arrived at with your physicians. These may actually be the same for all persons with diabetes, as age and presence of diabetes complications have a role to play in setting individual control goals. However, the generally set goal for blood pressure for the person with diabetes is a blood less than 130/80mmHg while that of A1c is than 7%. The fasting blood sugar level should 6mmol/1(108mg/dl) and below while two hours after the food the blood sugar level should not be allowed to below 3.3mmol/1 (60mg/dl).
When your blood cholesterol level is checked, the LDL-Cholesterol (bad Cholesterol) level should be below 100mg/dl (2.5mmol/l); the HDL Cholesterol (good cholesterol) should be greater than 40mg/dl (1.1mmol/l) in men and 50mgdl (1.1mmol/l) in women while trigcerides shoud be below 150mg/dl (3.8mmol/l).
Abnormally high blood cholesterol levels increase the risk of developing a heart attack and having a stroke.
When your Kidney function test called microbumiuria is done, your urine will be tested and the amount of protein coming out in your urine should be less than 30mcg/mg creatine. Any result above this level indicates level Kidney damage. So therefore it sometimes necessary to ask your physicians when you are scheduled to have any of these comprehensive examinations or investigations. Most physicians will welcome this as you are then seen as a very active participant in the management of your own health. Your meal plan must also be discussed from time to time with your dietitian and other health care providers caring for you. In a similar vein, your exercise schedule should be reviewed from time to time with your physicians and Physiotherapists. Another thing again is that you must always their contact information with you such phone no, email, address.