Blood Glucose
Monitoring
Devices
Blood Glucose Monitoring Devices
❑This is a test system for use at home or in health care settings
to measure the amount of sugar (glucose) in your blood.
Glucose
❑Is a sugar that your body uses as a source of energy.
Unless you have diabetes, your body regulates the
amount of glucose in your blood. People with diabetes
may need special diets and medications to control blood
glucose.
Type of test:
❑Quantitative test- amount of glucose present in
your blood sample.
Why should you take this test?
❑You should take this test if you have diabetes and you need to monitor your blood sugar
(glucose) levels. You and your doctor can use the results to:
❑determine your daily adjustments in treatment
❑know if you have dangerously high or low levels of glucose
❑understand how your diet and exercise change your glucose levels
How often should you test your glucose?
❑Follow your doctor's recommendations about how often
you test your glucose. You may need to test yourself
several times each day to determine adjustments in your
diet or treatment.
Accuracy of the test
The accuracy of this test depends on many factors including:
❑the quality of your meter
❑the quality of your test strips
◦ Always use new test strips that are authorized for sale .The FDA has
issued a safety communication warning about the risks of using
previously owned test strips or test strips that are not authorized for .
❑how well you perform the test.
o For example, you should wash and dry your hands before testing and
closely follow the instructions for operating your meter.
❑Hematocrit (the amount of red blood cells in the blood). If you are severely dehydrated or anemic, your
test results may be less accurate. Your health care provider can tell you if your hematocrit is low or high,
and can discuss with you how it may affect your glucose testing.
❑Interfering substances (Some substances, such as Vitamin C, Tylenol, and uric acid, may interfere with
your glucose testing). Check the instructions for your meter and test strips to find out what substances may
affect the testing accuracy.
❑Altitude, temperature, and humidity (High altitude, low and high temperatures, and humidity can cause
unpredictable effects on glucose results). Check the meter manual and test strip package insert for more
information.
❑Store and handle the meter and strips according to manufacturer's instructions. It is important to store
test strip vials closed.
Site of collection
The middle or ring finger is preferred as having the
greatest depth of tissue beneath the skin and hence
offering the least chances of injury.
The thumb or index finger may be more likely to be
calloused or scarred, as well as being much more
sensitive, making the procedure more painful.
Repeated punctures should not be made on the same
site to avoid pain and dilution of the blood with
Other sites for capillary blood sampling for blood extracellular fluid.
glucose measurement include the heel (especially in
neonates) and the earlobe.
Test procedure
[Link] read and understand the instructions for your meter.
2. Ready the materials (lancet , alcohol pads, glucometer, glucose strips)
3. Ready your patients. Ensure that the patient is seated and explain the procedure
clearly.
4. Make sure the hands are washed with soap and water and allowed to dry, or apply
an alcohol-based sanitizer and leave it on for 30 seconds before lancing the finger.
5. Prick your finger with a lancet to get a drop of blood. Then you place the blood on a
disposable "test strip" that is inserted in your meter. The test strip contains chemicals
that react with glucose. Some meters measure the amount of electricity that passes
through the test strip. Others measure how much light reflects from it.
6. Dispose of all equipment in line with safety policies.
[Link] of the device should be done weekly.
Things to consider while using Glucose
Meter:
❑accuracy ❑ability to transmit data to a computer
❑amount of blood needed for each test ❑cost of the meter
❑how easy it is to use ❑cost of the test strips used
❑pain associated with using the product ❑doctor's recommendation
❑testing speed ❑technical support provided by the
manufacturer
❑overall size
❑special features such as automatic timing,
❑ability to store test results in memory
error codes, large display screen, or spoken
❑likelihood of interferences instructions or results
Three ways to make sure your meter works
properly:
[Link] liquid control solutions:
❑every time you open a new container of test strips
❑occasionally as you use the container of test strips
❑if you drop the meter
❑whenever you get unusual results
To test a liquid control solution, you test a drop of these solutions just like you
test a drop of your blood. The value you get should match the value written on
the test strip vial label.
Three ways to make sure your meter works
properly:
[Link] electronic checks. Every time you turn on
your meter, it does an electronic check. If it detects a
problem it will give you an error code. Look in your
meter's manual to see what the error codes mean and how
to fix the problem. If you are unsure if your meter is
working properly, call the toll-free number in your meter's
manual, or contact your health care provider.
Three ways to make sure your meter works
properly:
[Link] your meter with a blood glucose test
performed in a laboratory. Take your meter with you to your
next appointment with your health care provider. Ask your provider
to watch your testing technique to make sure you are using the
meter correctly. Ask your health care provider to have your blood
tested with a laboratory method. If the values you obtain on your
glucose meter match the laboratory values, then your meter is
working well and you are using good technique.
Blood glucose increase
Hyperglycemia is the technical term for high blood glucose (highs). It happens when the body has too
little insulin or when the body can't use insulin properly. Here are a few of the causes:
❑Too much food, like a meal or snack with more carbohydrates than usual
❑Dehydration
❑Not being active
❑Not enough insulin or oral diabetes medications
❑Side effects from other medications, such as steroids or anti-psychotic medications
❑Illness, stress, menstrual periods or short or long-term pain (these all cause your body to
release hormones which can raise blood sugar levels)
Blood glucose decrease
Hypoglycemia is the technical term for low blood glucose (lows). It’s when your blood glucose levels have
fallen low enough that you need to take action to bring them back to your target range. Here are a few of
the causes:
❑Not enough food, like a meal or snack with fewer carbohydrates than usual, or missing a meal or snack
❑Alcohol, especially on an empty stomach
❑Too much insulin or oral diabetes medications
❑Side effects from other medications
❑More physical activity or exercise than usual
Unit
❑mmol/L or Millimoles Per Litre: – International standard unit for
measuring the concentration of glucose in the blood – also known as
millimolar (mM).
❑mg/dL: Milligrams per 100 millilitres: Unit for measuring
concentration of glucose in the blood– milligrams per decilitre.
Formula
❑Formula to calculate mmol/l from mg/dl:
mmol/l = mg/dl / 18
❑Formula to calculate mg/dl from mmol/l:
mg/dl = 18 × mmol/l
