The Importance of Glucose Monitoring and
Glucometers
Understanding blood glucose levels and effects of
diabetes
One of your most effective weapons in tackling any illness or disease is the right
knowledge. This includes diabetes. The more you know about it, the better you're equipped to deal with
it.
Tackling diabetes with knowledge
Even though you will need glucose monitors to control your diabetes, it helps to know what
you’re up against, as there are mainly three types of diabetes:
- Type 1: Here the body does not make insulin
- Type 2: Utilization of insulin is hampered along with less
production
- Gestational: During pregnancy, mostly goes away
later
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The first step in ensuring that you don't end up with diabetes is to follow a
healthy lifestyle
and do regular check ups with your doctor, including testing your blood for diabetes. |
Blood
Glucose
It is also called blood sugar and is the sugar that the blood carries to the body
cells to supply energy in order to perform various activities. The food we consume is the source of this sugar. A
human being with normal health can passively maintain his/her blood glucose level and does not need glucose monitors.
Normal
range
The normal level of glucose in the blood is tested during the course of fasting,
is approximately in the range of 3.89 to 5.5 mmol/L (which translates to 70-100 mg /dL). Moreover, the mean blood
glucose level as tested by glucose monitors is about 100 mg/dL. This is not constant in any human and varies
according to his or her activity levels and lifestyle. The more physically active you are, the less likely you are
to experience high blood sugar.
The problems associated with
excessive sugar
If there is more sugar than normal limits in the bloodstream for extended time
period, there can be many health hazards like:
- Hyperglycemia - too much sugar in the
bloodstream
- Damage to blood vessels - affects both small and large blood
vessels
- Increased risk of heart diseases - caused by poor blood
circulation
- Strokes - unchecked diabetes' heart disease can lead to strokes
- Vision difficulties - blurriness or double vision is caused
by high or low glucose
- Problems with the kidney - diabetes is one of leading
causes
- Diabetes - the end result of unchecked excess blood sugar
levels
- Nerve problems associated with diabetes - sugar affects
nerve endings
Reasons for high blood
sugar
This happens whenever the body is unable to induce the pancreas to produce
insulin, or if the cells in the body have become resistant to the amount produced by the pancreas. So that, the
pancreas is unable to keep up production to meet the demand.
Glucose
monitors
People with diabetes need to constantly check their blood sugar levels and this is
done through glucose monitors. Glucose monitors help them with managing and treating the associated
problems. Glucose levels in the blood are most commonly checked by using a lancing device that pricks your
finger and draws out a drop of blood to get a sample and obtain an automatic reading.
Some common symptoms of a person with high blood sugar:
- A loss of body weight
- Fatigue and tiredness
- Trouble in concentrating
- Increased thirst and frequent headaches
- Frequent urination
- Vision blurring
- More than 180mg/dL of sugar in the blood
The above symptoms may or may not mean that
you have a diabetic or pre-diabetic condition. But if your experience 2,
3 or more of these, get your blood test done at once and see your doctor.
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Common blood monitoring devices include the device itself, measuring strips where
you apply
your small blood sample and a needle device used for extracting blood drop from your
finger. |
Why are glucose monitors
important?
Glucose monitors are of extreme importance because their absence means the patient
is unable to check his/her blood sugar levels, which build up slowly. In cases, causing life-threatening
conditions, especially if you’re plunged into a diabetic coma.
Continuous glucose
monitors
Continuous glucose monitors are used to track your body’s glucose
levels in real time 24/7. A glucose sensor made of a small
electrode is inserted under the skin and the glucose levels in the tissue fluid are measured. There’s a
transmitter attached to the glucose sensor and sends wireless signals to the receiving display cum monitoring
device through a specific radio frequency. However, a continuous glucose monitor is recommended to be calibrated
with a normal finger stick every 8 hours if possible. This will ensure the best accuracy of your glucose
monitors.
Benefits of continuous glucose
monitors over conventional ones
While a conventional automatic lancing device gives an instant and accurate
reading, it only shows the reading for that moment. A CGM will provide you with information on whether your sugar
levels are falling, or on the rise, an early indication of these onslaughts, alerts for any spikes or troughs while
you’re resting or sleeping, and most importantly knowledge about how your physical activities, food habits, and
medication is affecting your situation.
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