A regular daily regimen for diabetics is testing their own blood to ensure glucose measures are uniform and adequate to provide proper blood sugar levels. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports there are more than 25 types of glucose meters on the market. Differences between models include size, ease of use, amount of pain inflicted, amount of blood drawn, speed in testing, accuracy, cost, reporting techniques, results storage and degree of accuracy.
Skin-prick Monitors
The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC) reports that the most common diabetic monitor system involves "pricking a fingertip with an automatic lancing device to obtain a blood sample and then using a glucose meter to measure the blood sample's glucose level." This lancing allows the diabetic an opportunity to adjust the daily diet or medication to influence the amount of sugar in the blood. The NDIC states that the monitors used in this system are the most reliable and accurate, provided the user is correctly following the monitor's operating instructions.
Continuous Monitors
Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is a two-part device consisting of a sensor and a wireless monitor. The fluid device is inserted by medical professionals under the skin in the side of the stomach or bicep of one arm. The sensor automatically reads the body fluids and sends a radio signal to a device that is worn around the waist or on the belt loop of pants. This monitor, marketed under the trade name "STS-7 System," operates for a period of three days to a week without requiring resetting by a physician or technician. The NDIC states that this type of monitoring is "not as accurate and reliable as standard blood glucose meters," and the organization recommends reconfirming the reading with the skin-lancing method before relying on any information obtained using this system.
Saliva and Tear Monitors
Saliva and tear monitors were developed as a result of patients' dissatisfaction with the constant need to lance the skin. These devices, which collect saliva from the mouth or moisture from the tear ducts and evaluate the samples using test strips, were as of 2009 being tested in medical studies but were not yet approved by the FDA for prescription use, according to the University of Virginia Medical Center.
Infrared Light and Electric Current Monitors
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) reports that test strips can become contaminated by hot weather, too much moisture or touching the strip with soiled hands. In an effort to eliminate the error factor cause by strip failure, new testing devices have been developed, including an infrared light monitor that directs a light through the finger to detect the blood glucose level. While testing of this monitor was underway in 2009, it had not yet been approved by the FDA for prescription use.
GlucoWatch Biographer Monitors
The GlucoWatch Biographer monitor is part of a group of devices designed to quickly report testing results to medical professionals and create a long-term record of the test results that can be accessed by professionals for use in adapting treatment or by the diabetic to modify behavior to achieve the desired results. The device is attached to a wristwatch, which sends a low-level current into the skin to draw the necessary amount of blood onto a test strip. The watch draws blood "every 20 minutes for 12 hours," according to the University of Virginia. Inadequate levels register with the watch, and an alarm sounds to warn the wearer.
