BloodGlucoseValueUnderstand every reading

Blood glucose 10 — mmol/L or mg/dL?

180mg/dL10.0 mmol/L

Most meters outside the US show mmol/L. A reading of 10 is far more likely to be 10 mmol/L than 10 mg/dL.

If it is 10 mmol/L

= 180 mg/dL. Fasting without diabetes: Diabetes range · With diabetes before a meal: Above target

Full explanation for 180 mg/dL →

If it really is 10 mg/dL

That is 0.6 mmol/L — severely low. Most meters show "LO" below 20 mg/dL. If the person is shaky, sweaty, confused or drowsy, treat it as a severe low: 15–20 g of fast sugar if they can swallow safely; if not, glucagon if available, recovery position and call 911 (US) or your local emergency number.

No immediate action needed

  • Note the time and whether you had eaten — the same number means different things fasting and after a meal.
  • Looking at the pattern over days (or a CGM report) tells you more than one reading.

If you don't have diabetes — reading 10 mmol/L (180 mg/dL)

Two hours after eating, 180 mg/dL is in the prediabetes range (140–199 mg/dL); fasting it would be in the diabetes range. Have your doctor check an HbA1c or a glucose tolerance test.

Fasting (8+ hours without food)

Diabetes rangeScale with 180 mg/dL marked55100126180 mg/dL

2 hours after eating (or glucose tolerance test)

Prediabetes rangeScale with 180 mg/dL marked55140200180 mg/dL

If you have diabetes — reading 10 mmol/L (180 mg/dL)

180 mg/dL is high — above both targets. Common causes: a carb-heavy meal, a missed or too-small dose, illness, stress or less activity than usual.

Before a meal / fasting

Above targetScale with 180 mg/dL marked5480131181241300180 mg/dL

1–2 hours after a meal

Above targetScale with 180 mg/dL marked54180241300180 mg/dL

Targets for most non-pregnant adults (American Diabetes Association (ADA) Standards of Care). Your own targets may be different — for example in pregnancy, for children, older adults or people prone to lows. See pregnancy targets.

180 mg/dL as an average: HbA1c 7.9%

If 180 mg/dL were your average glucose over two to three months, it would match an HbA1c of about 7.9% (above the common treatment goal of below 7%). A single reading says little about your HbA1c — it is the long-term average that counts. Learn more in how to measure blood sugar.

Make sure the number is right

  • Wash and dry your hands before a finger-stick: fruit juice or sugar on the skin can raise the result a lot.
  • Home meters may differ from a lab value by up to about 15%. At 180 mg/dL that means roughly 153–207 mg/dL.
  • CGM sensors measure tissue fluid and lag 5–15 minutes behind blood when glucose changes quickly — confirm lows with a finger-stick.

Check another reading

Nearby values

This page explains one reading in general terms. It is not a diagnosis or a treatment instruction. Follow the plan agreed with your doctor or diabetes team.