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Archive for the ‘diabetics’ Category

Well, you might have understood the importance of glucose monitoring equipments as your doctor prescribed you to check diabetes. And, you are ready to buy the diabetic meters also. But self-monitoring of blood glucose requires considerable knowledge on the use of diabetic equipments. You must not miss out the basics.

How does a Glucose meter function?

First place a small sample of blood on disposable blood glucose test strips and then place the strip in the meter. Test trips are coated with chemicals like glucose oxidase, dehydrogenase etc and combine with blood glucose to determine the report. The meter measures the presence of glucose in different ways. It can be by indicating electricity passing through the sample or the light reflecting from it. Usually the reading is done through numbers. There are new diabetic meters arrived in the market than can record and store number of test results. Even the device can be connected to computers and the results can be taken as printouts.

What are the parameters to follow while choosing a glucose meter?

• Testing speed
• Over-all size
• Amount of blood needed for every test
• Cost of the meter
• Cost of the test strips
• The number of records to be stored

There are recent improvements in the features of new model diabetic meters. You can collect blood sample from places other than your finger (also called as alternative site testing). You can also find error code signals, barcode readers to help with the calibration. Some meters have large display screen and audio instructions too.

How to use the glucose meter?

Again it depends on individual patients and their diabetic condition. Some people may need to use it often than others do. Self monitoring is needed for those persons only who take insulin. For Type 2 diabetes there is no defined prescription of using glucose meter. It can be treated only with diet.

For Type 1 diabetes American Drug Associations (ADA) instructs to do the glucose test three or more time per day.

Pregnant women taking insulin can use it twice in a day. Though there is not enough guidance on the frequency of the use of diabetic meter, but testing often can be beneficial. Generally self-monitoring plan is like this- before meals, 2 hours after meal, at bed time and at 3 a.m. But you can measure your blood glucose level whenever there is any sign or symptoms.

Who will teach you the Glucose meter using procedure?

Diabetes educator, if you are joining a diabetes education program it will be in the form of a training process.

Precautions:

There are some general instructions before you use blood sugar monitors:

1. Wash your hand with warm water, soap and dry well or else clean your hand with alcohol and dry completely.

2. Prick the finger tip with a lancet

3. Hold your hand down and bend your finger down to catch the drop of blood to the test strips.

4. Follow the instructions given with glucose meter kits. Learn how to insert the test strips into the meter.

5. Finally record the result.