Accurate Blood Glucose Measurement Video

Accurate blood glucose measurement is at the heart of any good diabetes management therapy.

As the video above shows, using your glucose meter correctly will ensure accurate blood glucose measurement.

Home testing units are roughly accurate to within 15-20 percent, but the FDA does does not require ANY level of accuracy in order for a glucose meter to be approved for home use. This margin is acceptable for everyday use since, dosage of insulin will not vary that much within this range.

However, it's clear that you must rely on HbA1C tests as the true measurement of the success of your diabetes program. No matter which meter you choose or how you test, you should never rely on home tests to completely guide your overall course of action.

There are many variables that can affect the accuracy of your readings including, temperature, altitude, time of testing, testing site, meter choice and freshness of test strips.

Here are the most important factors affecting performance.

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Hematocrit:

Hematocrit is the measure of red blood cells in the blood. Patients with higher hematocrit values will generally test lower for blood glucose than patients with normal hematocrit. Patients with lower hematocrit values will test higher. If you know that you have abnormal hematocrit values you should talk over its possible effect on glucose testing (and A1C testing) with your health professional. Anemia and Sickle Cell Anemia are two conditions that bear upon hematocrit values.

Other Substances:

Numerous other substances may interfere with your testing process. These include uric acid (a natural substance in the body that can be denser in some people with diabetes), glutathione (an "anti-oxidant" also called "GSH"), and ascorbic acid (vitamin C). You should check the package insert for each meter to find what substances might affect its testing accuracy, and discuss your concerns with your diabetes caregiver.

Altitude, Temperature, and Humidity:

Altitude, room temperature, and humidity can cause irregular effects on glucose results. Check the meter and test strip box insert for information on these issues. Store and handle the meter and test strips according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Third-Party Test Strips:

Third-party or "generic glucose reagent strips" are test strips produced as a less expensive option than the strips that the original maker intended the meter to be used with. They're commonly developed by replicating the original strips.

While these strips may work on the meter listed on the package, they could look like strips used for other meters. Make certain the test strip you use is correctly matched with your glucose meter.

Occasionally manufacturers modify their meters and their test strips. These alterations are not always conveyed to the third-party strip manufacturers. This can make third-party strips incompatible with your meter without your knowledge. Differences can involve the amount, type or concentration of the chemicals (called "reagents") on the test strip, or the actual size and shape of the strip itself. Meters are responsive to these features of test strips and may not work well or consistently if they're not correct for a meter. If you're doubtful whether or not a certain test strip will work with your meter, contact the manufacturer of your glucose meter.

Performance Goals for Glucose Meters

Deciding performance criteria for glucose meters has been debatable and difficult. Despite efforts in the late 1970s and 1980s by both FDA and CDC, no universally recognised standards or testing methods have been formulated for the measurement of glucose. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recently held a standards conference and is researching the possibility of developing a standard reference material for whole blood.

The ADA has recommended accuracy goals twice over the past twenty years, once in 1986 (target accuracy of +/- 15%) and once in 1993 (target accuracy of +/- 5%) No company that manufactures glucose meters has developed a cost-efficient system to meet these goals. A number of alternative standards have been suggested by national standards organizations in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. An international standard ISO DIS 15197 is currently under development that recommends accuracy of +/- 20 mg/dl (1.11 mmol/l) for glucose values under 100 mg/dl (5.56 mmol/l) and +/- 20% for higher glucose values.

While information on glucose meters continues to show varying performance, the newest generations of meters are less complicated to use and more precise than older models. Improvements in the chemical, mechanical, and software components of glucose meters are continuing to help with the management of diabetes.

Conclusion:

Accurate blood glucose measurement is best achieved by testing yourself in the correct manner. These tests are adequate for day to day therapy but should not be relied upon as the ultimate measure of the success of your diabetes program.

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5 Essential Blood Sugar Testing Tips

Blood sugar testing is essential for all people with diabetes because blood sugar level can't be precisely determined by symptoms alone.  This applies equally to both Type 1 and Type II diabetes.

For patients who take insulin, self-testing provides more exact dosage adjustments.  There's no prescribed recommendation for testing frequency for those with type 2 diabetes who are on oral medication or who control their diabetes through diet and exercise only. However, the American Diabetes Association does state that self-monitoring of blood sugar may be advantageous in order to achieve blood glucose targets.

Regular blood sugar testing can help you:

• Interpret how food, exercise, illness, and other factors impact your blood sugar levels
  
• Improve your blood glucose control by utilizing what you've learned to your diabetes care plan
  
• Track how well your diabetes care program is working and make knowledgeable treatment decisions with your health care team
  
• Keep blood sugars in range.

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For diabetics to properly check their blood glucose levels, they'll require the following supplies and equipment:

1. A glucose meter
2. Alcohol pads
3. Sterile finger lancets
4. Sterile test strips

At this time, glucose meters supply the whole set of tools for the diabetic to use. Different glucose meters have various prices and capabilities.

If in doubt, it's advisable for the diabetic to check with his or her doctor who can recommend a specific type and brand for the diabetic's use.

Different models of glucose meters cater to the unique needs of individual patients. Some are smaller and more portable, have more memory, etc.

But be aware that every added feature comes with an additional price tacked onto it. A physician can help you decide which meter is perfect for you.

Before actually taking a self-test, the diabetic MUST follow these 5 essential steps:

1. Wash your hands carefully and completely with soap and water.
2. Wipe the area to be pricked with an alcohol swab
3. Using a fresh, sterile lancet, prick the finger-tip
4. Position a droplet of blood onto the tip of the sterile test strip
5. Follow the glucose meter instructions carefully to ensure proper testing and checking.

It's beneficial for the diabetic patient to keep a notebook or a log to monitor his or her glucose levels at varied times of the day or week. The minimum number of times per day you test should be provided to you by your doctor. Blood sugar testing can be a dreadful experience for the diabetic to undergo due to the pricking involved.

Follow these tips to make the pricking more pain-free:

1. Don't prick the tip of the finger. Fingertips are sensitive by nature, so this is really painful. Instead, prick the side of the finger. Another thing to consider... only prick fingers. Never prick your toes. Not only is this awkward, but it will also increase the likelihood of infection.

2. Don't ever squeeze your fingers if the blood refused to come out. Let the blood come out naturally. If it does not, let gravity do its work. Never force the issue. Ask your doctor what you can do to encourage sufficient blood flow.

3. Don't prick the same digit every time. This will stress the area out making that particular finger tender and sore

4. Don't use the same finger lancet again and again. This is unsanitary and unbelievably idiotic. Bacteria have already concentrated in the expended lancet. Recycling the same lancet promotes infection.

Additionally, keep your testing supplies at room temperature and check the expiration date of your testing supplies to ensure that your test strips remain accurate.

Remember that artificially influencing readings by exercising more just before taking a reading will just create inaccurate results that will eventually undermine your treatment and cause you to lose your health due to lack of overall control. Don't play games with your health. Blindness and amputation is waiting for you if you do.

Conclusion:

Research studies indicate that daily blood sugar testing, up to 4 times or more, is a good way to learn how to better control your blood glucose and the only way to measure the effectiveness of your meal plan, physical activity and medications.
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Use Correct Glucose Test Strip FDA Warns

Glucose test strip choices are important for correct operation of your glucose meter. Just because strips of one type of meter will fit into another model, doesn't mean that they are compatible. They may appear to work but your readings could be way off.

In June, 2008 the FDA reported that some patients were using LifeScan OneTouch test strips with their Abbott Precision Xtra glucometers which in turn caused false and misleading low blood sugar readings. These meters are from 2 entirely different companies and should never have been used this way.

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False low readings give patients the impression that their diabetes is in check when it's really not. This could lead to unnecessary blindness, neuropathy, amputations, kidney, heart problems and other diabetic complications.

Make sure you read the owners manual that comes with your meter. ONLY use the glucose test strips recommended for that particular make and model.

Also, if you personally know of anyone engaged in this practice, urge them to stop IMMEDIATELY!

Glucose test strips are designed and manufactured to only work with the makes and models of glucose test meters specified in your owner's manual. So take care to follow this advice to the letter or suffer the consequences.

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The Importance Of Testing Blood Sugar

 

Before starting out on a search for a glucose testing meter it's important to understand why you need to test.

Your blood sugar is meant to operate within a very narrow range between 4.0 and 6.8 mmol/l (72-122 mg/dl).

When your blood sugar is higher than 6.8, it makes your immune system function as if it were drunk. This is especially true if you test above 10. In this "drunken" state they cannot do their job of maintaining and healing your body's cells. This is causes you to be more susceptible to diseases and infections and can eventually lead to premature death.

If excess sugar remains in your system, tiny crystals of sugar attach themselves to you blood cells and cause cell damage when in contact with other body tissue. This results in the erosion of all body systems including eyes, kidneys, heart, feet and nervous system.

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If your blood sugar goes low due to injections of insulin or excessive activity such as exercise or labour, you can lose consciousness from starving your cells of their vital sugar supplies.

In any case, it's clear that proper levels of blood sugar need to be maintained.

This is where testing as often as possible comes into play.

You need to test at least 3 times and preferably 5 times or more per day.

Without adequate testing, you're flying blind and you have no way of being sure that whatever medications you're on are having the desired effect or not.

Not only that, your physician will not be able to accurately adjust your treatment or medication.

At a minimum, you should get a good glucose testing meter and keep a testing log.

A better way is to get a software program that not only logs your sugars but also produces charts and graphs that you can share with your health care providers.

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