Blood Glucose Monitoring
Monitoring your blood sugar levels is crucial to ensure they remain within the recommended range.
It’s essential to keep your blood sugar levels within the target range to live well with diabetes. To achieve this, you must Monitor blood sugar and record and understand your blood glucose levels (BGLs), also known as blood sugar levels. This process is a key part of managing diabetes for both you and your healthcare team.
Why is it Important to Monitor Your BGLs?
- Instant Readings: You can get an instant BGL reading by performing finger prick tests, which help determine when to seek medical attention or consult your healthcare team.
- Benefit for Healthcare Team: Your healthcare team will benefit from the information obtained by recording your BGLs, allowing them to assess whether your diabetes management plan is effective.
- Understanding Relationships: Understanding the relationship between BGLs, medications, diet, physical activity, and lifestyle factors (like stress, travel, and illness) can give you more control over your diabetes.
- Boosting Self-Confidence: Monitoring your BGLs can also boost your self-confidence by helping you assess how well you’re managing diabetes.
How Do I Monitor My BGLs?
Glucose can be measured using three main devices:
Blood Glucose Meters
- Function: A blood glucose meter measures your BGL immediately using a tiny drop of blood.
- Requirements: You’ll need a finger-pricking tool with lancets and blood glucose strips.
Flash Glucose Monitors
- Usage: The Flash GM sensor is worn on the arm for two weeks and continuously measures glucose levels.
- Functionality: The sensor, placed just beneath the skin, can be scanned with a smartphone app or reader to display results.
- Data Recording: It records glucose levels every five minutes and stores eight hours of data for you or your healthcare team to download.
- Alarm Feature: Flash GM allows you to set alarms when your glucose levels exceed your target range, but you may still need to perform finger prick tests in certain situations.
Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM)
- Overview: CGMs continuously measure glucose levels just beneath the skin using a sensor and transmitter.
- Usage: The sensor must be replaced every 1-2 weeks and reattached to the transmitter.
- Real-Time Data: Continuous readings can be sent to a smartphone app, insulin pump, or receiver.
- Alerts: CGMs can send audible alerts when glucose levels fall outside the healthy range, which is particularly useful overnight.
- Calibration: CGMs may require calibration using blood glucose meter readings twice daily, as they lag 5-10 minutes behind actual blood glucose levels.
What Should I Do if My Blood Glucose Test Result Is Inaccurate?
If you’re unsure whether a test result is accurate, check the following:
- Are the strips still valid?
- Is the strip the correct one for my meter?
- Is there enough blood on the strip?
- Is the strip inserted correctly into the meter?
- Has the strip been affected by heat, light, or humidity?
- Have you washed and dried your hands thoroughly before testing?
- Does the meter need cleaning?
- Is the meter too hot or cold?
- Is the battery low or dead?
It’s normal for each meter reading to vary slightly as long as the difference isn’t significant (more than 2 mmol/L). Control solutions (liquid drops) can help check your meter’s accuracy. Consult your pharmacist or Credentialled Diabetes Educator for assistance.
Caring for Test Strips
Proper care of your test strips ensures accurate readings. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, which may include:
- Storing them in a dry place.
- Replacing the cap immediately after use.
- Checking the expiry date regularly.
How Do I Record BGLs?
Recording your BGLs is only useful if you plan to use the results to manage your diabetes. Here’s how you can keep track of your readings:
- Paper Diary: Write down your BGLs in a diary. Some blood glucose meter manufacturers provide these, or your healthcare team may offer one.
- Phone Apps: Some meters allow Bluetooth connection to apps on your smartphone, which store the information and can send it directly to your healthcare team.
- Your Meter: Some healthcare providers can download the data from your meter. They may need your meter for the download.
Conclusion
In summary, monitoring your Blood glucose readings is vital for effectively managing diabetes. By regularly checking your blood sugar levels and understanding the factors that influence them, you can make informed decisions about your health. Whether you choose traditional blood glucose meters, flash glucose monitors, or continuous glucose monitors, each tool offers unique benefits that can help you stay within your target range. Remember, accurate blood glucose readings not only empower you but also enable your healthcare team to provide tailored support, ensuring a proactive approach to your diabetes management. Prioritise monitoring your levels, as it is key to living well with diabetes.