A1C is a blood test done in a doctor’s office or in a laboratory. An A1C shows your average blood sugar level over the past 2 to 3 months—and, by extension, how well your blood sugar is being controlled over time. Generally, doctors recommend that you get an A1C test up to 4 times a year.
It's important to know your A1C because it tells how balanced your blood sugar level is staying over time. Balanced blood sugar means that your blood sugar level is neither too high nor too low. It stays within a healthy range.
If your A1C is higher than it should be, don't lose hope. You CAN take steps to help bring it down. Every step you take now can help you lower your risk of future health problems caused by diabetes.
What should your target A1C be?
You and your doctor will decide what your target A1C should be. For most people with diabetes, the American Diabetes Association recommends an A1C of less than 7%. Another group of experts, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, recommends an even lower A1C of 6.5% or less.
Talk to your doctor about your A1C
Ask your doctor about how adding JANUVIA to your medication regimen can help you reach your A1C goal. JANUVIA is a once-daily medication that can help lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. In studies, people who added JANUVIA to metformin further lowered their A1C. In fact, more than twice as many people taking JANUVIA and metformin reached an A1C goal of less than 7% compared with those taking metformin alone.
JANUVIA is a type of medicine that works in 2 ways for people with type 2 diabetes.
JANUVIA is a once-daily prescription pill that, along with diet and exercise, helps lower blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes.
JANUVIA is not approved to treat the serious problems that may result from high blood sugar.
How much do you know about type 2 diabetes? Take our Type 2 Diabetes Quiz.
JANUVIA (jah-NEW-vee-ah) is a once-daily prescription pill that, along with diet and exercise, helps lower blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes.
JANUVIA should not be used in patients with type 1 diabetes or with diabetic ketoacidosis (increased ketones in the blood or urine). If you have had pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), it is not known if you have a higher chance of getting it while taking JANUVIA.
Selected Risk Information About JANUVIA
Serious side effects can happen in people who take JANUVIA, including pancreatitis, which may be severe and lead to death. Before you start taking JANUVIA, tell your doctor if you've ever had pancreatitis. Stop taking JANUVIA and call your doctor right away if you have pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that is severe and will not go away. The pain may be felt going from your abdomen through to your back. The pain may happen with or without vomiting. These may be symptoms of pancreatitis.
Do not take JANUVIA if you are allergic to any of its ingredients, including sitagliptin. Symptoms of serious allergic reactions to JANUVIA, including rash, hives, and swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and throat that may cause difficulty breathing or swallowing, can occur. If you have any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, stop taking JANUVIA and call your doctor right away.
If you take JANUVIA with another medicine that can cause low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), such as a sulfonylurea or insulin, your risk of getting low blood sugar is higher. The dose of your sulfonylurea medicine or insulin may need to be lowered while you use JANUVIA. Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include headache, drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, confusion, irritability, hunger, fast heart beat, sweating, and feeling jittery.
Your doctor may do blood tests before and during treatment with JANUVIA to see how well your kidneys are working. Based on these results, your doctor may change your dose of JANUVIA. The most common side effects of JANUVIA are upper respiratory tract infection, stuffy or runny nose and sore throat, and headache.
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.
Please read the Medication Guide and discuss it with your doctor. Also available is the Prescribing Information.
JANUVIA is a registered trademark and Steps to Balance is a trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc.
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