For anyone who has diabetes, monitoring blood glucose levels is crucial.
Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG testing) provides a map that guides decisions and changes in treatment components to improve diabetes control," says Susan McLaughlin, American Diabetes Association president-elect, Health Care and Education. "Tracking patterns helps individuals know when they're at greatest risk of very high or very low blood glucose, which can increase the risk of falls, result in fracture, decrease mobility, diminish quality of life, and lead to depression."
What to Look for in a Test Kit
Accuracy
Buy a blood glucose monitor that is portable, accurate, and reliable. Test results are sometimes reported in as little as five seconds, and almost always in less than a minute.
Monitor accuracy may decrease, and memory may be lost as batteries drain. Replacing batteries sometimes erases stored data. Other factors affecting monitor accuracy are:
- The quality of the meter and test strips
- The number of red cells in the patient's blood
- Uric acid
- Glutathione
- Vitamin C
- Climate
- Incorrect coding
Altitude, temperature, and humidity can have unpredictable effects on glucose test results. The package insert describes how to store and handle the meter and test strips.
Ease of Use
Some are easier to use than others, require less blood for testing, and store more data. Error codes, automatic timers, and barcodes make calibrating the units less complicated, and large display screens allow people with limited vision to read test results. Some monitors provide audible testing instructions and announce test results. Some speak Spanish.
The monitor manual should explain its use in words and pictures that are easy to understand. It should also explain how to interpret error codes that signify a problem with the meter, test strip, or blood sample and include the manufacturer's toll-free phone number and website address.
A Variety of Results
The monitor you select should read a wide range of glucose values. Most newer models provide "plasma equivalents." The doctor will want to know whether the monitor provides these readings, which can be 10 to 15 percent higher than values for whole blood glucose.
Test Site Options
Some monitors measure glucose in blood from parts of the body other than a fingertip. Many patients find this alternate site testing less painful than fingersticks, and results are similar when blood glucose isn't changing rapidly. Values vary after a meal or during hypoglycemic episodes. That's because blood taken from a fingertip measures "real-time" glucose levels. It's the most accurate indicator of how successfully low blood sugar has stabilized after treatment.