Blood Glucose Monitoring

Blood Glucose Monitoring

Blood sugar is to be tested to see how certain foods, activities and situations may impact your blood glucose levels. It can also help you and your diabetes care team evaluate how effective, new treatment routine or change in blood sugar medication is. People who take insulin, self testing allows for more accurate dosage adjustments.

The American Doctors Association (ADA) suggests that people taking multiple insulin injections or using insulin pump therapy, such as those with type1 diabetes, some pregnant women with diabetes, and people with type 2 diabetes who take multiple injections of insulin daily should test three or more times each day. There is no official recommendation for testing frequency for those with type 2 diabetes who are on oral medication or who control diabetes through diet and exercise only.

What kind of blood glucose monitor?

There are a variety of blood glucose monitors to choose from, from stripped down single-reading meters to models with computer compatibility, alarms, and backlights. Think about the functions which are important to you. For example, if you like seeing trend data on your glucose readings, a meter that has extensive memory may be for you. People with vision impairment may prefer large display, or adaptive meter with voice capabilities. Size may also matter, if you prefer an unobstrusive glucose monitor that can be used discreetly you need a small and easy to use handle meter.

Consider the following features when deciding on a blood glucose monitor:
. Size and user friendliness: Is it convenient for your needs and easy to use?
. Time to readout. How long does the meter take to display the results?
. Memory. How many test results will the meter`s memory hold, and does it have the capability of averaging results for a designated time period?
. Trend data and computer compatibility. Does the meter interface with a computer and allow you to download meter results and generate blood glucose trend information?
. Battery life and availability. Will battery power last a reasonable amount of time, and are the batteries easily available at a local store or they must be special ordered?
. Blood sample size. Does the meter require a minimal amount of blood?
. Alternative site testing. Some meters allow you to test blood samples from the forearm and other sites beyond the fingertips.
. Cost. Factor in the cost of test strips when evaluating your meter purchase.
. Adaptive technology. If you have vision impairment, you may need a meter that speaks your results. There are a lot more other considerations to do.