Introduction
Blood Glucometers have become essential equipment to be kept in every home as blood glucose monitoring on regular interval can help you to prevent onset of Diabetes or prevent the complication if you are Diabetic. Therefore it is very important to have thorough knowledge of Glucometers like there types , features, how to use them and there accessories.
What is a Blood Glucometer
Blood Glucometer is a device which help you measure your blood glucose levels at you own. Blood Glucoser monitor helps you to monitor your blood sugar level and helps you to know how well your diabetes is under control . Ultimately this will help your physician to plan diet, exercise and medicines. There are two types of Glucose monitors available in the market.
Why Use a Blood Glucometer at Home
Considering a Gucometer at home is very smart choice for every individual as it helps to monitor your blood sugar level conveniently at home without going to lab. In long run it turns out to be a cost effective model for monitoring your blood glucose levels.
How to Choose a Blood Glucometer
There are various factors to be considered while choosing a Glucometer like:
Accuracy and Reliability
This is very important aspect to decide a Glucometer purchase. A Glucometer has to be accurate in reading the result as erratic readings can lead to wrong treatment. There are various brands available in the market. Always take help of your pharmacist or physician as they can help you to choose right Glucometer with their experience.
Ease of Use
Always choose a Glucometer which is easy to use at home and any one either adult or elder person can use that Glucometer
Cost
There are various models available in the market with different price range. While choosing a Glucometer always consider the price of Glucostrips as it is going to be used for long run. Glucometer purchase is one time cost but strips you have to buy regularly. Therefore Always consider a Glucometer with best in accuracy and strips are reasonable in price range for long term use.
Additional Features
There are various additional features you can get with different models like in built memory, Bluetooth connectivity for data transfer, warranty period etc
Steps to Use a Blood Glucometer at Home
Gather the Necessary Supplies
Arrange all supplies at one place like Glucometer, Glucostrips, Lancing Device, Blood Lancets, and cotton.
Prepare the Glucometer
Remove the Glucometer from the box and put it on the table.
Prepare the Lancet and Test Strips
Insert the blood lancet in lancing device and twist the head of the lancet to remove the cap and set the pricking depth on the lancing device. Insert the blood glucometer test strip in the Glucometer and wait till it shows blood drop sign.
Prick the Finger and Collect Blood
WHO recommends middle finger or ring finger for pricking. Prick the side tip of the finger with the help of lancing device. Side tip is recommended as it has less nerve that cause minimal pain.
Apply Blood to the Test Strip
Wait for the Result
Usually results appear in 5 seconds in most of the Glucometers.
Record and Monitor the Results
Tips for Accurate Blood Glucose Testing
Clean and Dry Hands: It can be done with washing hands with shop.
Use the Proper Lancet Depth: Depending on thickness of your skin, decide the correct depth of lancets to get sufficient quantity of blood.
Alternate Testing Sites: Avoid pricking same finger every time.
Read Also: Importance of High-Quality Blood Glucose Test Lancets
Common Mistakes to Avoid
There are few common mistake which most of the people do while doing blood glucose monitoring:
Store your Glucometer, test strips, and lancet in a clean and dry place. Any kind of moisture, high or low temperature can impact the test strips and Glucometer. Use re-sealable plastic bags to keep your supplies dry.
- Using alcohol cleansers to wash pricking area. This can dilute your blood which may give incorrect readings.
- Wet hands. Moisture on your skin can dilute blood sample which will affect your results.
- Insufficient blood sample. Not using enough blood sample on the test strip can also affect your reading. However, do not press your finger to quicken the process. Instead, massage your hands before you test. This will help with blood flow. Prick the site and let your hand hang so the blood flows naturally.
- Squeezing finger too hard. If the amount of blood sample is less, squeezing the finger too hard can cause the fluid surrounding the cells known as interstitial fluid to mix with your sample which may alter your BG readings.
- Incorrect piercing: Do not pierce the lancet beyond 2.2mm depth as it can lead to a deeper puncture and impact the final reading. It can also lead to sore fingers.
Understanding Blood Glucose Readings
While having Blood Glucometer at home you should be aware about all the reading levels of Blood Sugar.
Normal Blood Sugar Levels: A healthy fasting blood glucose level for someone is 70-99 mg/Dl. . If your fasting blood glucose level is 100 to 125 mg/dL, it usually means you have prediabetes. . Postprandial blood sugar level less than 140mg/dL is normal. Reading that ranges between 140 to 199 mg/dL means you have prediabetes.
Hypoglycemia: Blood glucose level less than 70 mg/dL is considered as Hypoglycemia.
Hyperglycemia: If fasting Blood Glucose level is more than 126 mg/dL, it means you are have Hyperglycemia: Postprandial blood sugar above 200 mg/dL considered as Hyperglycemia.
When and How Often to Use a Blood Glucometer
It depends on the condition. If you are a normal person you can check blood sugar level once in a month. If you are prediabetic or diabetic then it is important to monitor your levels regularly ( minimum 6-7 times in a week) to avoid complications..
Benefits of Using a Blood Glucometer at Home:
At home you can check your blood sugar level conveniently and record the readings which ultimately helps your physician to determine your treatment.
Precautions and Safety Measures:
Always choose quality meter which gives high accuracy. Newer fall in for cheap quality Glucometers for low price. Always Check expiry date on strips to avoid any inaccurate result.
Conclusion:
It is very important to know the serious implication of high blood sugar levels and how to prevent those implications.. Therefore always monitor you blood sugar levels on regular interval with help of a good quality Blood Glucose Monitor at home.
Read Also: How to Choose the Best Medical Equipment for Home Use
