What Is a Good Glucose Reading for a Type 2 Diabetic?
Type 2 diabetes, also called adult-onset diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the body doesn't metabolize sugar properly. Either the body doesn't produce enough insulin to handle glucose, or sugar, levels, or it is resistant to the efforts of insulin to get glucose from food into the cells, so the sugar stays in the blood.-
Normal Levels
-
Generally, diabetics are urged to keep their glucose or blood sugar levels as close to those of a non-diabetic. Those levels are in the 70 to 120 range, according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse.
Plasma Values
-
To accurately check their blood glucose levels, diabetics need to know whether their meters record results for plasma or whole blood values. Most meters measure in plasma values.
Plasma Target
-
Before meals, a target plasma range for a Type 2 diabetic is between 90 and 130, according to the National Institutes of Health. An hour or two after meals, a reading should be less than 180.
Whole Blood Values
-
For meters measuring whole blood values, a target range before meals is 80 to 120. An hour or two after meals, the level should be less than 170.
Variables
-
Immediately after eating, blood glucose levels rise then lower after an hour or so. Physical activity will lower glucose levels. It's difficult to maintain target levels all of the time. Some fluctuations will occur, but maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle and careful monitoring will minimize the fluctuations.
-