Tight control means keeping blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible. It helps protect you against the beginning of diabetes complications, such as eye, kidney, heart, and nerve damage. If a person with diabetes already has these complications, tight control is one way to slow the rate of progression of these conditions.

According to the American Diabetes Association^®,* "normal" levels are:

• Before meals: 70 to 130 mg/dL
• One to two hours after meals: less than 180 mg/dL

Check with your health care professional to establish your personal goals.

How Do I Know If My Blood Sugar Levels Are Within My Target Range?
The only way to know if your blood sugar levels are within your target range is to monitor your levels frequently -- at least as often as your health care provider recommends.

How Do I Reach My Target Levels?
If you discover higher or lower blood sugar levels through self-monitoring, think back on your day and try to determine the cause and solution. Over time, you may begin to recognize patterns.

Work with your health care team to choose the best plan for regaining control. This might include the following actions:

1. Change the amount or timing of the carbohydrates you eat.
2. Change the dose or timing of your insulin or oral diabetes medications if you take them.
3. Change the amount of physical activity you participate in or change the time of day you exercise.

Remember that frequent self-monitoring of your blood sugar levels is the key to finding the best solution.

Pattern of Low Glucose Levels Checklist:

1. Did I delay or skip a meal?
2. Did I eat fewer carbohydrates than usual during the meal or snack just before my low blood sugar readings?
3. Does my insulin and/or diabetes medication need to be adjusted?
4. Did I take the correct dose of insulin and/or medication?
5. Did I participate in more physical activity than usual?

Pattern of High Glucose Levels Checklist:

1. Did I eat more carbohydrates than usual at the meal or snack just before my high blood sugar reading?
2. Did I participate in less physical activity than usual?
3. Was I ill or under stress?
4. Does my diabetes medication need to be adjusted? Did I take the correct dose?

*Not a registered trademark of Abbott Laboratories