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Measuring blood glucose with a glucometer is a common procedure for most people with diabetes, both type 1 and type 2. During the day, they carry out this procedure repeatedly. It helps to control blood glucose and maintain it at a normal level. A home glucometer for measuring is a relatively inexpensive, easy-to-use device. However, not everyone knows how to properly use a glucometer.

Training

It is important not only to know how to properly measure blood sugar levels at home, but also to figure out how to prepare for the test. Only with proper preparation, its results will be as reliable and informative as possible.

• High sugar in the body can be the result of stress;
• On the contrary, a low level of glucose in the blood, taking into account the usual nutrition system, may be when there has recently been a significant physical activity;
• During prolonged fasting, weight loss, a strict diet, measuring blood sugar levels is not informative, as the indicators will be underestimated;
• Measure blood sugar on an empty stomach (required), and also, if necessary, during the day. At the same time, when it is necessary to control the level of sugar on an empty stomach, it is necessary to measure the level of glucose compounds in the sample immediately after the patient wakes up. Before this, you can not brush your teeth (there is sucrose in the paste) or chew gum (for the same reason);
• It is necessary to measure the level in only one type of sample - always in the venous (from a vein), or always in the capillary (from a finger). This is due to the difference in blood sugar levels at home, when taking different types of it. In the venous sample, the values ​​are slightly lower. The design of almost all glucometers is only suitable for measuring blood from a finger.

There are no difficulties in how to measure blood sugar without a glucometer. But for the greatest information content and objectivity of the figures, quite a lot of factors must be taken into account.

Measurement algorithm

Some nuances are how to correctly measure sugar with a glucometer. The procedure has an algorithm, which sometimes varies slightly depending on the model of the device and its features. You need to take blood as follows:

• Determine the place where the puncture will be made when measuring blood sugar. In an adult, this is usually a finger. But in cases where there are many punctures on the upper phalanx (in patients who measure glucose very often), the place can be changed. You can measure blood sugar at home or on the road in a sample from the earlobe, palm. Infants and very young children do not take material for research from a finger. They pierce the skin on the foot, heel, earlobe;
• Thoroughly rinse the area from which you will take the sample. For this, ordinary soap is suitable. In addition, glucose measurement can also be carried out by pre-treating the puncture site with alcohol wipes or an antiseptic spray;
• Almost any meter is equipped with a special pen-needle with a mechanism that allows you to make quick and painless blood sampling. If such a device is not included, you need to buy it separately, since it is much easier to measure blood sugar with a glucometer. The needles in the device are consumables. They require replacement, however, you do not need to change them every time. But in the case when more than one person in the family determines the level of glucose in the blood with the same device, the needles for each user must be individual;
• Attach the working area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe “handle” to the skin, press it firmly enough and press the button;
• Apply the sample to the test strip and insert the strip into the turned on machine. There may be differences depending on the type of device. In some cases, the strip must already be installed in it and only then the sample is applied. For others, you can apply a blood sample to a strip and only then insert it into a glucometer in order to measure blood sugar levels;
• Press the button on the device which activates the sample analysis process. In some models, this process starts automatically immediately after applying the sample;
• Wait until a stable reading appears on the screen. This is blood sugar at home at the moment.

There are no difficulties in how to use a glucometer. This is also true for diabetic children. With some habit, measuring sugar will be a quick and easy procedure.

When to take measurements?

Many diabetics wonder how often to measure blood sugar. It is important to monitor blood sugar at home throughout the day. With an unstable level or when diabetes is not compensated, readings should be measured at least seven times a day. It is best to measure sugar during the day during the following periods:

1. In the morning, without getting out of bed, on an empty stomach;
2. Before breakfast;
3. Before other meals;
4. Measure the level in the blood within two hours after eating every half hour to assess the absorption of carbohydrates (by analogy, a sugar curve is built);
5. Measuring blood sugar with a glucometer before going to bed;
6. If possible, take blood readings late at night or early in the morning, as hypoglycemia can occur at this time.

Since checking the level of sugar in the body with a glucometer is simple and does not require any skill, the frequency of these procedures does not adversely affect the quality of life. And since it is impossible to determine the level of sugar in the blood without a device, it becomes necessary.

Materials and equipment

In order to measure the level of concentration in the body of glucose compounds using a home glucometer, three main components are needed, each of which has its own characteristics.

• Actually a glucometer. It allows you to check the blood for a given concentration for free. They differ in price, country of manufacture, accuracy and complexity. Too cheap devices, as a rule, have a shorter service life and poor reading accuracy. If the patient does not want to constantly think about whether the results are correctly determined, it is better to buy better devices (OneTouch devices are popular);
• It is impossible to measure sugar correctly without test strips. These are paper strips with a special coating on which the sample is applied. To determine blood sugar, you can only use strips that are compatible with a glucometer. They are not cheap and are not always available (it is very difficult to buy them for some models). Therefore, this fact should also be taken into account when choosing a device. They have an expiration date, after which it is impossible to measure blood sugar with their help;
• Needle pens are most often included with the device, but sometimes you have to buy them separately. In this case, the model of the glucometer is not important, since the needle does not directly interact with it. The needles must be replaced periodically as they become dull. This can be determined subjectively - over time, blood sampling with a glucometer can become painful, then the needle needs to be changed. Also, multiple users of the same meter should have individual needles.

Depending on the error of the equipment, patients have to independently correct the readings when measuring.

-FOOTNOTE-

In modern devices, however, the determination of glucose in the body is quite accurate and requires almost no adjustment.

Normal Readings

To control your condition, in addition to how to find out the level of sugar in the blood, measure glucose at home, you need to remember what is the norm of blood sugar in case of illness and in a healthy person. This will help you objectively assess your condition.

In a healthy person, checking the level shows a concentration in the range of 4.4 - 5.5 mmol per liter. If you check the sugar in a diabetic, then the numbers will be higher - in this case, the normal level is up to 7.2. In addition, it is important to correctly measure the testimony of the child. They have a lower norm - from 3.5 to 5.0

Naturally, blood sugar levels rise after eating. But within two hours, it should begin to decline again (if the metabolism is good). If you take a hypoglycemic drug and then check the blood, then the readings will become significantly lower almost immediately. In diabetes and pre-diabetes, it is worth checking the readings often, as they are unstable. In addition, a blood sugar test is performed to monitor the effectiveness of hypoglycemic drugs. About how and how to measure sugar and how the glucometer works is described in the video below.

Video