4.0.0.0 A1C GOALS
4.1.0.0 Overview
For glycemic goals in older adults, please refer to Section 12 “Older Adults.” For glycemic goals in children, please refer to Section 13 “Children and Adolescents.” For glycemic goals in pregnant women, please refer to Section 14 “Management of Diabetes in Pregnancy.”
Recommendations
6.4 A reasonable A1C goal for many nonpregnant adults is <7% (53 mmol/mol). A
6.5 Providers might reasonably suggest more stringent A1C goals (such as <6.5% [48 mmol/mol]) for selected individual patients if this can be achieved without significant hypoglycemia or other adverse effects of treatment (i.e., polypharmacy). Appropriate patients might include those with short duration of diabetes, type 2 diabetes treated with lifestyle or metformin only, long life expectancy, or no significant cardiovascular disease. C
6.6 Less stringent A1C goals (such as <8% [64 mmol/mol]) may be appropriate for patients with a history of severe hypoglycemia, limited life expectancy, advanced microvascular or macrovascular complications, extensive comorbid conditions, or long-standing diabetes in whom the goal is difficult to achieve despite diabetes self-management education, appropriate glucose monitoring, and effective doses of multiple glucose-lowering agents including insulin. B
6.7 Reassess glycemic targets over time based on the criteria in Fig. 6.1 or, in older adults, Table 12.1. E