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" Reader Question: I just found out that my blood sugar is high, but I don&amp;#039;t have diabetes. Besides trying to lose weight, is there anything else I should be doing? Think of elevated blood sugar (or pre-diabetes) as a warning sign of impending danger. If you don&amp;#039;t act now, there&amp;#039;s a very good chance that you&amp;#039;ll end up with full-blown diabetes and/or heart disease. Losing weight if you&amp;#039;re overweight is a good place to start. You should aim to shed at least 5 to 10% of your body weight and keep it off. You should also exercise at least 30 to 60 minutes five days a week (six or seven days a week is even better). New guidelines from the American College of Endocrinology say that anyone with pre-diabetes should get a fasting blood sugar and a hemoglobin A1C test (which estimates how well blood sugar has been controlled for the past few months) at least twice a year. Because of the strong link between diabetes and heart disease, your cholesterol and triglycerides need to be monitored and closely controlled. Your LDL (&amp;quot;bad&amp;quot;) cholesterol should be kept under 100, and you may need to take a statin medication to achieve and maintain that level. Blood pressure must also be closely monitored, with the goal being less than 130/80. If you require blood pressure medication, your doctor should prescribe one that also protects your kidneys (like an ACE inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker). It&amp;#039;s also a good idea to get your eyes checked; some people with pre-diabetes already have the beginnings of diabetic retinopathy, a condition that can sometimes lead to blindness. Right now there aren&amp;#039;t any FDA-approved medications to prevent pre-diabetes from progressing to diabetes, but some research has indicated that the prescription drugs metformin and acarbose may help. If you haven&amp;#039;t already, be sure to discuss your options with your doctor. I want to hear from you, so e-mail me your questions at dailywd@womansday.com.  Disclaimer: Your seeking information on health related topics and/or Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, MD&amp;#039;s providing such information herein constitutes neither the solicitation of nor the provision of medical advice, services, care or treatment. Communication with Dr. Fryhofer on this website does not create a doctor/patient relationship. For concerns about your own particular medical condition, you should consult your own medical professional, who can examine and evaluate you. Communication on a website is not a substitute for taking an active role in your own medical care and treatment and being personally seen by a physician of choice in your area.  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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