Health Plan of San Joaquin | Focus Your Health | Summer 2018

Focus Your Health 7 A1C. This test measures your average blood sugar level for the past two or three months. It gives you a bigger picture of how well your diabetes treatment plan is working, beyond daily blood sugar checks. You should have an A1C test every three to six months. The goal for many people is an A1C of 7%. Ask your doctor what number you should be aiming for. If you have diabetes, getting health checks is especially important. Here are six you should get regularly. The first three are the ABCs: Diabetes: key tests 6 1 Blood pressure. High blood pressure is hard on your heart. It can cause a heart attack or stroke. And it can damage your kidneys and eyes. You should have your blood pressure checked every time you see your doctor. The goal for many people with diabetes is a blood pressure below 140/90 mm Hg. 2 Cholesterol. Cholesterol is a fat-like substance in your blood. There are two types, LDL and HDL. LDL is the bad kind of cholesterol that can build up in your arteries. High LDL levels are linked to heart attack and stroke. You want a low LDL number. HDL is the good kind of cholesterol. It helps move bad cholesterol out of your body. A higher HDL number is better. And a lower number is a risk factor for heart disease. You should have a cholesterol test at least once a year. Ask your doctor what your numbers are and how you might improve them. Dilated eye exam. You should have this test at least once a year. An eye doctor will put drops in your eyes to make the pupils bigger—and make problems easier to spot. 3 Three more don’t-miss tests 4 5 6 Foot checks. Your doctor should look at your feet every time you visit. He or she will check for blisters, sores and other problems. You should also have a more detailed foot exam with your doctor every year to check blood flow, numbness, and your foot muscles and bones. Urine test. The best way to check the health of your kidneys is with a urine test. It looks for a protein called albumin in your urine. You should have this test every year. F O R M O R E Managing diabetes can be complicated. Get answers at hpsj.com/diabetes. Sources: American Diabetes Association; American Heart Association; National Diabetes Education Program HealthReach 1502