There are many numbers to keep in mind when we help people with diabetes manage their condition. Some are diagnosis criteria, others are therapeutic targets, and still others are related to specific treatments. Although these numbers may seem random or arbitrary to some of our patients, they are evidence-based and derived from data related to diabetes pathophysiology and the prevention of complications.
This article is the first in a series that will explain some of the key numbers related to diabetes management and summarize the evidence underpinning them.
At least until recently, if we had to choose a single term that is foundational to nearly all facets of diabetes care, that term would be A1C. Thus, A1C is a most appropriate set of numbers with which to begin this series. However, there are too many A1C-related numbers discussed in the American Diabetes Association’s Standards of Care in Diabetes to cover...
