[Krash100000]

is an AC of 7.4 good, and what does it mean.

[sweetlife]

Nah,your first goal is to bring it down between 5.5-6.

[xMenace]

Normal is somewhere between 4.0% and 5.9%, depending on who you ask. Supposedly every percentage increases your chance of complications by 40%. It's a number that will eventually catch up with you. It might take many decades though.

[lorilei]

hi Krash! welcome to df...it means your average blood glucose is about 186...probably some higher numbers and some lower number in there...it's a three month average, more heavily weighted towards the most recent month...in very simplistic terms...look around and search the site using the search box and you will get a very detailed explaination of what that means...

[drummingfool]

Heres a simple formula to calculate your average blood sugar level according to your a1c:

(HbA1c * 35.6) - 77.3 = average BS level

Hope that helps!

[sweetlife]

Very informative indeed,tx for sharing.

Originally Posted by drummingfool

Heres a simple formula to calculate your average blood sugar level according to your a1c:

(HbA1c * 35.6) - 77.3 = average BS level

Hope that helps!

[lorilei]

check the tool bar on the right...there's a converter too

[sweetlife]

tx lori,again this is very helpful indeed,I am falling in love with this beautiful forum.Pray for all members fm bottom of my heart hence!

[DeusXM]

It's not 'good', but it's not 'terrible' either. Various guidelines say either below 7% or below 6.5% (normal being 4-6%). Bringing it under 7% dramatically reduces your theoretical risk of complications, but jumping from 7.4 to, say, 6.9, will have a greater reduction than going from 6.4 to 5.9. It's diminishing returns. Aim for below 6.5% for next time and take heart that your A1C is still probably better than most people's at your clinic.

[Subby]

I've learnt that "good" can mean a number of different things, when it comes to this kind of indicator of your control. Here's a few interpretations of the idea of "good", I think it helps seperate the issues.

1. what does this a1c indicate for control/damage?
2. can I relax with this A1c, ie what should I aim for?
3. Should I consider it good/bad, achievement or failure?
4. How realistic is it to achieve a much better A1c?

1 Has been answered already. 2 has been addressed, but it's also linked to number 4.

3 Is always going to be relative. First though, I'd forget the idea of a "bad" a1c around this range. The best way to think is that the way forward is progress. This is an A1c that is not in the best range people can get, but it's better than many others, and it's one you can probably improve upon. No one has a right to recriminate you - not because of a lack of authority but because they just don't know enough about you and your condition. You have the best idea of how you diabetes is going, whether you are doing enough, and you have to most power to be kind to yourself and focus on the positives and the future.

I'd also definitely consider this A1c a real success if it is one of your first ones, if you've previously been a lot higher, or if you find control really tricky for one reason or another. I'd guess that 7.4 might show you're giving it a real go.

4. It's hard to say what you could realistically expect for a best case a1c. People can certianly get lower results, then again I know that on MDI I would have really struggled to get below 7.2 despite huge effforts, due to factors I couldn't control well (like dodgy insulin absorption). I wouldn't pay any attention to "you should get this # or that #", beyond being food for thought. I know for years I put a huge amount of effort into control but often got nowhere on substantial A1c improvement. (But I gotta say I often improved my health by decreasing swings, which sometimes doesn't show in the A1c). It's like so many things in life: if you do your best (and do it smartly) you should find your own limits.

This "doing your best" is not only in your current practises in controlling your diabetes, but also in finding out about and putting into practise new ones. There is a wealth here of those ideas, along with your medical team and other sources.

[fgummett]

"The data from the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) and the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) demonstrated a continuous relationship between A1C and diabetes complications, with no apparent threshold of benefit. In the subsequent prospective follow-up of the DCCT cohort over 11 years, the risk of CVD and death from CV causes was reduced by 42 to 57% in the intensive insulin therapy group. In the UKPDS, this relationship was directly linear, with each 1.0% (absolute) reduction in mean A1C associated with a 37% decline in the risk of microvascular complications, a 14% lower rate of myocardial infarction and fewer deaths from diabetes or any cause."

[Real4]

Originally Posted by DeusXM

Bringing it under 7% dramatically reduces your theoretical risk of complications, but jumping from 7.4 to, say, 6.9, will have a greater reduction than going from 6.4 to 5.9. It's diminishing returns.

One study has taken 7.0 A1c as the dividing line and shown results above and below for comparison. That's all the real evidence there is on long term complications versus A1c.

What you say might be correct, but it's just a wild a*s guess.

[lorilei]

Originally Posted by Subby

I know for years I put a huge amount of effort into control but often got nowhere on substantial A1c improvement. (But I gotta say I often improved my health by decreasing swings, which sometimes doesn't show in the A1c). .

great point subby...we have to count the day to day living with this as well!