Know Your Blood Sugar Numbers

How testing can help

There are two important steps your doctor may recommend you take to help you find out how you're doing with controlling your blood sugar numbers:

  • Check your blood sugar, or glucose, before and after you eat.
  • Ask your doctor about your hemoglobin A1C score.

What your blood sugar numbers will tell you

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Monitoring your blood sugar (glucose) can show you and your doctor how your blood sugar responds to food, exercise, and medications you may be taking. This information will help your doctor guide your treatment plan.

How can I measure my progress?

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Don't leave it to guesswork. Know your blood sugar numbers. Here are some guidelines to help keep track:

  • Check your blood sugar number in the morning when you wake up, but before you eat (before meal).

    Your doctor will determine what your fasting blood sugar (FPG) goals should be. Fasting means you have not eaten or drunk anything (except water) for at least 8 hours. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends a reading between 70 and 130. If your blood sugar level drops too low (for example, below 70), you could experience hypoglycemia.

Most people taking Onglyza™ did not experience hypoglycemia; however, it may occur, particularly when taken with another diabetes medicine, such as a sulfonylurea. Symptoms of low blood sugar include shaking, sweating, rapid heartbeat, change in vision, hunger, headache and change in mood. If you have symptoms of low blood sugar, you should check your blood sugar and treat if low, then call your healthcare provider.

Your doctor may have instructed you to drink or eat a fast-acting sugar. Examples of fast-acting sugars are shown in the table to the right.

  • Check your blood sugar number again 2 hours after you eat.

    For most adults with type 2 diabetes, it should be less than 180. Ask your doctor what's right for you. Comparing your blood sugar level before you eat with your blood sugar levels 2 hours after you eat can show you the effect your food choices have on your blood sugar.

Measuring your progress

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If your numbers are too high, talk to your doctor about making some adjustments. For instance, you may be able to lower your after-meal blood sugar with a more balanced diet and/or by increasing your exercise (talk to your doctor before beginning any diet or exercise program). If your doctor determines that your numbers are still too high, your doctor may want to adjust or make a change in your treatment.

Ask your doctor about your A1C score

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Your A1C is the test done by your doctor every 3 months. Since A1C measures your progress over a 3-month period, it's very important to control your blood sugar before and after you eat, every day. That way, your A1C may also be lower. Asking your doctor for your A1C score is a good way to see how successful you've been at controlling your type 2 diabetes over time.

Achieving Recommended A1C Score

An A1C under 7 is recommended by the American Diabetes Association. If your doctor says your A1C is too high, your doctor may tell you to make changes to your diet, or to exercise more. Your doctor may also add another medicine to help lower your A1C score.

Onglyza gives you extra help to treat high blood sugar

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Learn how Onglyza can help you achieve better blood sugar control.

What You Need To Know
Tips to Keep Your Blood Sugar in Control

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT ONGLYZA™ (saxagliptin)

Approved Uses

ONGLYZA™ (saxagliptin) is a prescription medicine used along with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

ONGLYZA has not been studied with insulin.

ONGLYZA should not be used to treat people with type 1 diabetes or to treat diabetic ketoacidosis (dangerously high levels of certain acids, known as ketones, in the blood or urine).

Important Safety Information

When ONGLYZA is used with certain other diabetes medicines to treat high blood sugar, such as a sulfonylurea, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) may occur. Symptoms of low blood sugar include shaking, hunger, sweating, headache, rapid heartbeat, change in mood, and change in vision. Follow your healthcare provider's instructions for treating low blood sugar.

If you have allergic (hypersensitivity) reactions, such as rash, hives, and swelling of the face, lips, and throat, stop taking ONGLYZA and call your healthcare provider right away.

When ONGLYZA is used with a thiazolidinedione (TZD), such as pioglitazone or rosiglitazone, to treat high blood sugar, peripheral edema (fluid retention) may become worse. If you have symptoms of peripheral edema, such as swelling of hands, feet, or ankles, call your healthcare provider.

The most common side effects with ONGLYZA include upper respiratory tract infection, urinary tract infection, and headache.

Your healthcare provider should test your blood to measure how well your kidneys work. You may need a lower dose of ONGLYZA if your kidneys are not working well.

Tell your healthcare provider if you start or stop taking other medications, including antibiotics, antifungals or HIV/AIDS medications, as your healthcare provider may need to change your dose of ONGLYZA.

Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or breast-feeding, or plan to become pregnant or breast-feed.

Please see US Full Prescribing Information, including Patient Information.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca do not review the information on this Web site and/or database for content, accuracy, or completeness. Use of and access to this information is subject to the terms, limitations, and conditions set by the Web site and/or database producer.

Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca make no representation as to the accuracy or any other aspect of the information contained on such Web site and/or database, nor does Bristol-Myers Squibb or AstraZeneca necessarily endorse such Web site and/or database.

Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca do not review the information on this Web site and/or database for content, accuracy, or completeness. Use of and access to this information is subject to the terms, limitations, and conditions set by the Web site and/or database producer.

Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca make no representation as to the accuracy or any other aspect of the information contained on such Web site and/or database, nor does Bristol-Myers Squibb or AstraZeneca necessarily endorse such Web site and/or database.