Welcome to the Flash Card section for Chapter 8: Targets for Glycemic Control.
In this chapter, the “devil is in the details.” While the general A1C target of ≤7.0% is well known, the CDE exam tests your knowledge of the exceptions and the specific evidence that drives them. You need to be able to instantly recall which patient needs a target of ≤6.5% versus who requires a relaxed target of 8.5%.
Why use flash cards for this chapter? Glycemic targets are numeric and specific. Flash cards are the most effective way to memorize the rigid criteria for “tight” versus “relaxed” control, as well as the outcomes of the major landmark trials that established these rules.
Key concepts covered in this deck:
Target Ranges: Memorizing the specific criteria for A1C targets of ≤6.5% (to reduce CKD/retinopathy) vs. 7.1%–8.5% (for the frail elderly or those with limited life expectancy).
A1C Composition: Recalling when Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) is the main contributor to A1C and when Postprandial Glucose (PPG) takes over.
- Safety Triggers: Identifying the clinical signs (like hypoglycemia unawareness) that mandate a change in target.