Standards for Continuing Your Diabetes Care

Managing diabetes requires regular doctor visits that include standard monitoring of various diabetic factors. Following are guidelines for your diabetes care — like when to see your doctor, what should happen at each visit, when to have lab tests done, and how often to self-monitor blood glucose.

Consistent diabetes management is key; if test results show any change from your history, then you and your doctor can address them before any problem worsens.

Frequency of visits:

• Daily if starting insulin

• Weekly if starting oral drugs

• Monthly if not stable

• Quarterly if stable

History at each visit:

• Frequency of hypoglycemia

• Results of blood glucose self-monitoring

• Changes in treatment

• Symptoms of complications

• Psychosocial issues

• New medications

Physical at each visit:

• Blood pressure

• Weight

• Foot exam

Physical at least annually:

• Dilated eye exam by eye doctor

• Filament test for foot sensation

Lab tests:

• Hemoglobin A1c every three months

• Fasting lipid profile yearly

• Microalbumin measurement yearly if urine protein negative

Frequency of blood glucose self-monitoring:

• Before meals and bedtime for person with type 1 diabetes

• Before breakfast and supper for person with type 2 diabetes

• Once daily for person with stable diabetes

• Before and one hour after meals for pregnant woman with type 1 diabetes or gestational diabetes