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Blood Sugar Monitoring

Know Your Blood Sugar Numbers

Taking control of your diabetes and blood glucose (blood sugar) can make you feel better and stay healthy. Research shows that

maintaining your blood glucose level close to normal reduces your chances of having eye, kidney and nerve damage. Taking

control of your diabetes means you need to know your blood glucose numbers and your target goals, and you need to keep your

blood glucose numbers near your goal numbers.

Two ways to measure your blood glucose are:

The A1C test - This test used to be called hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C). It measures your average blood glucose level

over the past 3 months. It is the best way for you and your doctor to know your overall blood glucose control during this

period of time.

Self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) test - This is a test you do yourself using a blood glucose monitor (also

known as a blood glucose meter) and a drop of blood. It measures your blood glucose at the time you check it.

Both of these tests should be used by you and your diabetes health care provider or team (doctor, diabetes educator and/or

pharmacist) to manage your diabetes and get a complete picture of your diabetes control.

Checking your blood glucose with a monitor helps you see how food, medicine and physical activity affect your blood glucose

level. Blood glucose monitors allow you to check and track your glucose levels over time while at home, school, work and play.

The blood glucose readings you get from a monitor can help you make decisions in managing your diabetes every day or even

every hour. Self-monitoring your blood glucose allows you to recognize emergency situations and respond to high or low blood

glucose levels with the appropriate intervention.

Testing Your Blood Glucose (Sugar)

Some people with diabetes may need to monitor (test) their blood glucose levels more than others as diabetes care should be

tailored for each person. Make sure to talk to your diabetes health care provider about how often you need to test using your

blood glucose monitor.

Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) is highly recommended for everyone with diabetes, but especially for those who use

insulin to control their diabetes to monitor for and prevent hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). If you have type 1 diabetes, the

American Diabetes Association (ADA) suggests that you test your blood glucose level 3 or more times a day. It is also

recommended that pregnant women with gestational diabetes taking insulin test their glucose 3 or more times a day. If you have

type 2 diabetes, the optimal frequency and timing of SMBG is unknown, but the ADA states testing should be sufficient to

facilitate reaching your glucose goals. People with type 1 and type 2 diabetes should test their glucose levels more often when

their diabetes therapy has been modified. The role of SMBG in diabetics stable on diet treatment is not known.

Self-monitoring plans set up by diabetes health care providers often direct people with diabetes to test their glucose before

meals, 2 hours after meals, at bedtime, at 3:00 a.m. and anytime the person experiences sign and symptoms. Testing should

occur more often when types of medications are changed, when dosing of medications are changed, when a person is ill or

stressed and during any other unusual conditions. Make sure to talk with your doctor or diabetes educator about how often and

when you should test your blood glucose.

How a Blood Glucose Monitor Works

Portable blood glucose monitors are small, battery operated devices. Typically, a small sample of blood is placed on a

disposable test strip, which is coated with a chemical (reagent) that combines with the glucose in the blood. The test strip with

the sample of blood is placed into the monitor allowing the monitor to measure how much glucose is present in the blood.

Monitors measure blood glucose in different ways. Some monitors measure how much light reflects from the blood sample.

Others measure how much electricity passes through the sample. The monitor then displays the amount of glucose in the blood

as a number. Make sure to record all your blood glucose readings.

Choosing a Blood Glucose Monitor

There are a number of blood glucose monitors so making the right choice can be hard. Blood glucose monitors may differ in

several ways, such as:

•

Ease of use

•

Test time

Daily Diabetes Log

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