Know Your Numbers - ABC of Diabetes

Keeping track of these important health numbers can help lower your risk of serious complications. They are:

      ⦁    HbA1c (A1c)
      ⦁    Blood pressure
      ⦁    Cholesterol 

Here’s a helpful breakdown of what numbers matter most, what your numbers should be, and what they mean as part of your treatment plan.

Checking your blood sugar levels on a daily basis can help you see how well you’re managing your diabetes, which can potentially lower your risk of developing more serious health problems. It can also show you what is causing your daily blood sugar levels to fluctuate. For example, you may notice that they decrease when you’re more active, or increase when you eat certain foods or feel stressed.

In order to check your blood sugar levels and get an accurate reading, you’ll need to use a blood glucose meter

Then, you can compare your numbers with these target blood sugar levels:¹

•  Before a meal 4.4 to 7.2 mmol/L (80 to 130 mg/dL)
• Two hours after a meal: Under 10 mmol/L (180 mg/dL)

Keep in mind that your healthcare team may also have personalized target goals they want you to work towards meeting, so it’s essential to speak with your doctor to obtain the number that’s specific to you.

If you’re wondering “What is HbA1c?”, here’s a simple explanation: HbA1c reflects the average of your blood sugar levels over the past 2 to 3 months. Your HbA1c levels, also called A1c levels, can be determined by taking an HbA1c test.¹

Your doctor may refer to this test by another name, such as the: 

• glycated hemoglobin test
• glycosylated hemoglobin test
• hemoglobin A1c test

Here are a few important things to know about your HbA1c:

• Your HbA1c levels should be checked 2 to 4 times per year using an HbA1c test.¹
• If your treatment changes or your number is higher than your target goal, then you may need to have your HbA1c levels checked more often.
• For most adults with diabetes, the HbA1c goal is 7% or lower¹ — which corresponds to an estimated average blood sugar of 8.6mmol/L (154 mg/dL). 

The only way to get a complete picture of your blood sugar control is by reviewing your day-to-day self-checks along with your regular HbA1c tests, and working closely with your healthcare team to interpret the results. Learn more about calculating your HbA1c.

You’ve probably had your blood pressure taken at a doctor’s visit, but you might not know what is actually being measured. When the health care professional shares your blood pressure numbers, it represents the force at which blood is pumped through your arteries when your heart beats, in the following format:

• The top number shows systolic pressure (when your heart beats)
• The bottom number shows diastolic pressure (when the heart is resting)

Diabetes and high blood pressure

People with diabetes are twice as likely to have high blood pressure,² and left untreated, high blood pressure can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Generally speaking, your target blood pressure range should be 120/80 mmHg or lower.³ But if you are an adult with diabetes, your doctor may recommend that you aim for less than 140/90 mmHg.⁴

Discuss your personalized blood pressure goals with your healthcare team.

Along with blood pressure, you may have had a cholesterol test (also called a lipid panel or lipid profile), which measures the amount of four types of fats in your blood. 

• Total cholesterol: The total amount of cholesterol in your blood.
• Bad cholesterol (LDL): Too many low-density lipoproteins can build up to reduce or block blood flow in the arteries.
• Good cholesterol (HDL): High-density lipoproteins help remove LDL cholesterol from your arteries, keeping blood flowing.
• Triglycerides: Another form of fat that can raise your risk for heart disease.

Like high blood pressure, high cholesterol is another risk factor for heart disease that people with diabetes should keep an eye on. 

Diabetes and high cholesterol

It is well known that diabetes can affect your cholesterol levels.⁵ Even if you’re properly managing your blood sugar, you may have decreased HDL cholesterol and higher LDL cholesterol levels.

Discuss your cholesterol numbers with your healthcare provider to determine what they should be. The numbers that are best for you may depend on factors such as your age, race, blood pressure, weight, family history, and others. However, here are some general guidelines showing the desirable levels (levels that are healthy for most people):

• The total cholesterol level should be less than 5.2 mmol/L (200 mg/dL).
• Bad cholesterol (LDL) levels should be below 2.6 mmol/L (100 mg/dL).
• Good cholesterol (HDL) levels should be greater than or equal to 1.5 mmol/L (60 mg/dL), which is best. (Levels less than 1.0 mmol/L (40 mg/dL) are considered low for men, and levels less than 1.3 mmol/L (50 mg/dL) are considered low for women).⁶

Now that you know your diabetes numbers, these tips can help you take the next steps toward making informed decisions about your health:

• Keep your diabetes numbers in one location (like an app on your phone or a journal).
• Talk to your healthcare team about your personalized numbers and target goals, and work together to meet them.
• Develop healthy habits that make a difference, from following treatment plans and maintaining a balanced diet to increasing physical activity.
• Surround yourself with a strong support team full of people in your life who are dedicated to your success. They can help you stay motivated as you work toward your goals.

Sources: 

1.  American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee. 6. Glycemic Goals and Hypoglycemia: Standards of Care in Diabetes-2025. Diabetes Care. 2025;48(1 Suppl 1):S128-S145.
2. Diabetes and High Blood Pressure [Internet]. Johns Hopkins Medicine. 2025 [cited 2025 Jul 9]. Available from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/diabetes…
3. Know Your Numbers, Lower Your Risk [Internet].  American Heart Association. 2025 [cited 2025 Jul 9]. Available from:  https://www.knowdiabetesbyheart.org/articles/know-your-numbers-lower-your-risk/
4. Salanitro AH, Roumie CL. Blood pressure management in patients with diabetes. Clinical Diabetes. 2010;28(3):107-114.
5. High Cholesterol Diseases [Internet]. Cleveland Clinic. 2022 May 24 [cited 2025 Jul 9]. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/11918-cholesterol-high-c…
6. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Cholesterol Levels: What You Need to Know [Internet]. Medlineplus. National Library of Medicine. 2024 [cited 2025 Jul 9]. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/cholesterollevelswhatyouneedtoknow.html