A glucose monitor is a valuable tool that allows people with diabetes to manage this chronic disease largely by themselves. Once a diagnosis has been made, a health-care professional usually prescribes a glucose monitor, test strips and lancets so the person can manage his disease more easily. People with Type I and Type II diabetes should use a glucose monitor on a regular basis, according to the American Diabetes Association. This device is also useful for people with pre-diabetes to determine how best to prevent developing full-blown diabetes.
Glucose Monitor
A glucose monitor, or meter, is a handheld device used to measure the amount of glucose in the blood. The manufacturers of glucose meters make most of their money on the supplies that are needed to take a blood glucose reading---test strips and lancets---so the meter itself is often given away free or offered at a low cost. The procedure for testing blood glucose is to prick your fingertip and deposit a tiny drop of blood onto a test strip that has been inserted into the glucose meter. The monitor then reports a number that corresponds to the amount of glucose in the bloodstream in milligrams per deciliter, or mg/dl.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a progressive disease that results from the inability to produce insulin---Type I diabetes---or the inability to use insulin properly---Type II diabetes. Type I is also called juvenile diabetes since it most commonly begins in childhood, while Type II diabetes is often known as adult-onset or sugar diabetes. People with a genetic predisposition may or may not develop diabetes, depending on their immune system, lifestyle, diet and level of activity. Once diabetes has begun to develop, a blood glucose meter is a valuable tool in detecting, recording and managing blood sugar levels.
Type I Diabetes
It is extremely important for people with Type I diabetes to monitor their blood glucose levels constantly. Because they do not produce the insulin that sends glucose into the body's cells, they must inject insulin directly into their bodies. What they eat and how much exercise they get can affect their levels of glucose unpredictably at times, sending it too high or too low. Using a blood glucose meter throughout the day can help someone with Type I diabetes keep her glucose levels under control and avoid dizziness, shakiness or even coma.
Pre-Diabetes
Some people find out they are pre-diabetic after a routine blood test during a physical exam. According to the American Diabetes Association, a fasting blood glucose level between 100 and 126 mg/dl is the sign that you are pre-diabetic. Keeping track of your blood sugar numbers with a blood glucose monitor while making lifestyle changes can help you to prevent developing full-blown Type II diabetes.
Type II Diabetes
Although being overweight does not automatically bring on Type II diabetes, it does speed up the process if you are genetically predisposed to this incurable illness. If your fasting blood sugar is routinely over 126 mg/dl, you have diabetes and now must manage your disorder for the rest of your life, according to the American Diabetes Association. To do this, you will need a blood glucose monitor to test your fasting, pre- and post-meal and bedtime blood sugar to help you ascertain which foods you can eat. Taking your blood sugar before and after exercise will also give you a good picture of how activity and inactivity affects your blood glucose levels.
References
- American Diabetes Association: How to tell if you have pre-diabetes
- American Diabetes Association: Blood Glucose Meters
- Carol Guber's Type II Diabetes Life Plan. Carol Guber. 2002.
