m
Interpreting Readings of Glucose Monitors |
|
|
Improved glycemic control is gaining importance for diabetes treatment in type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients. Physicians recommend that diabetes treatment must be participative and the physician and the patient must acknowledge the role they have to play. Self-monitoring of capillary normal blood glucose level is considered an essential aspect of diabetes treatment. Devices used for monitoring abnormal or normal blood glucose level are called Blood glucose Monitor or glucose meter.
The glucose test that the patient performs on himself using the Blood glucose monitor or glucose meter measures the glucose concentration in the capillaries using the blood from the finger tip.
This glucose test yield different results from a test conducted by the lab technician because the source of blood is different. |
| Labs use the plasma or serum portion of the blood sample for the glucose test. Home glucose meters or blood glucose monitors use whole blood obtained from capillaries. This difference makes the whole blood values lower than the Lab values. While interpreting readings of glucose meters, this aspect of the glucose reading needs to be kept in mind. |
A number of new blood glucose monitors have attempted to reduce the confusion about the glucose reading differences between home monitors and Lab tests by adjusting their strips to calculate the glucose reading to Lab levels.
|
The corrected strips carry the declaration that the strips have been adjusted to give lab readings. So while purchasing the glucose meter, look for the declaration on the packaging.
There is not much math involved in the glucose reading of these meters. It is enough if you know what the numbers displayed on the blood glucose monitor screen mean.
These meters are not diagnostic devices only monitoring devices useful in diabetes treatment. It monitors the glucose readings and detects the hypo events or the elevated bgs that point to changes that need to be made in the diabetes treatment.
If you are using a home blood glucose monitor to monitor your normal blood glucose level regularly, you should compare the results with those of the lab once or twice a year. |
|
This will help you ensure that your blood glucose monitor or glucose meter is functioning optimally.
It should be also remembered that consistency of results of home glucose meters are variable. No two samples will yield the same result on the same machine. No two machines will also give the same result even if the same blood sample is used unless we are very sure that both machines are calibrated the same way. Moreover, different meters have different ranges. Some monitors are accurate at low ranges and others at mid or higher ranges.
Accuracy of home glucose meters used for glucose test and glucose reading will depend on the capabilities of the meter, the maintenance of the meter and the care given to the machine and the strips. Dusty, dirty strips or meters will give inaccurate glucose reading and will be a detriment to proper diabetes treatment.
 |
|
|
