Intensive Diabetes Management

What is Intensive Diabetes Management:

Some people may want a strict approach to managing blood glucose. Intensive diabetes management focuses on keeping blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible.

Q Intensive Diabetes Management has one big drawback. Do you know what that is?
right

Since you are trying to keep your blood glucose levels low, there is a much higher chance of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) where blood glucose falls below 70 mg/dl.

Wrong

Since you are trying to keep your blood glucose levels low, there is a much higher chance of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) where blood glucose falls below 70 mg/dl.

Benefits

Clinical trials have shown that intensive diabetes management can greatly reduce the risk of diabetic eye disease (by 76%), kidney disease (by 60%) and nerve disease (by 60%).

Drawbacks

Unfortunately there are drawbacks. Research shows:

  1. It is more expensive since you will test a lot more
  2. It takes more time
  3. You'll have more hypoglycemia episodes
  4. You may gain some weight

What's involved?

Before you start on intensive diabetes management you should discuss the approach with your health care team. They may advise against it if you have any of the following:

  1. You have a history of severe hypoglycemia
  2. You have hypoglycemia unawareness
  3. You are elderly or have other health problems or
  4. You are unable to carry out the tasks involveds

If you decide to go ahead your care team will probably advise you to:

  • Test your blood glucose much more regularly
  • Add to or change your medication, dosage or the times you take it
  • Follow a very rigorous diet
  • Add extra exercise to compensate for possible weight gain and improve glucose levels more generally.

This information was reproduced from the "Complete Guide to Diabetes" with the permission of the American Diabetes Association.

It is a comprehensive book and recommended by the American Diabetes Association for those people that want to learn more about diabetes.

Click on the image to go to the American Diabetes Association bookstore.

Note: Care4life has no commercial interest in any of the books or resources it recommends.