In patients with type 1 diabetes, the beta cells of the pancreas are destroyed by the body's immune system. As explained by the National Institutes of Health website Medline Plus, beta cells normally produce the hormone insulin, so patients with...
The OneTouch Ultra 2 is a diabetic meter used to keep track of blood sugars. This machine can keep a history of up to 500 readings so that its user can follow a pattern of glucose measurements over days to weeks. This is a great way to see if...
Diabetics and pre-diabetics use blood glucose meters to monitor the concentration of glucose in their bloodstream. Many insurance companies will pay for some, if not all, of the cost of diabetic testing supplies. But if you don't have insurance,...
Diabetes is one of the most common serious illnesses in the United States, with the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse reporting that approximately 8 percent of the population had diabetes in 2007. Standard treatment includes lifestyle...
Often diabetics are required to monitor their blood glucose levels. The options that are available for blood glucose monitors may seem overwhelming. A person with diabetes needs a monitor that is easy to use, reliable and accurate. The website,...
It is essential to health that you keep your blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible with the use of diet and medication. Allowing your blood sugar to rise too high or drop too low can be life threatening and cause long-term...
Checking blood glucose (sugar) levels is one of the easiest ways to identify risk for developing diabetes. In healthy individuals, a hormone created by the pancreas called insulin regulates blood sugar. Individuals with diabetes have trouble...
The Ascensia Contour is a home blood glucose meter made by Bayer HealthCare. It offers diabetic patients a simple way to test their blood sugar because it doesn’t require users to code the monitor. It is available in five colors and provides...
Modern glucose monitors require only a small sample of blood to effectively measure glucose levels. Glucose levels are screened multiple times a day and even during the night for some users. The sample is obtained by piercing the skin with a...
The American Diabetes Association has found that diabetics whose blood sugar levels are kept under tight control have fewer complications. Diabetes test strips enable diabetics to monitor their blood sugar levels at home. This allows patients to...
Glucose monitoring is perhaps the single most important tool you have to control your diabetes. It allows you to track your blood glucose levels throughout the day, tracking any changes and reporting them to your doctor to ensure optimal care for...
For diabetics, blood glucose monitors, or meters, are a health management necessity. These small, computerized tools measure your glucose level and display a number on the screen. Blood glucose meters vary in price, size, ease of use and features....
Glucose is a type of sugar that is found in the bloodstream. Blood glucose is the main energy source of the body. Having a healthy blood glucose or blood sugar level is important to optimal health and survival. As glucose in the blood begins to...
Diabetes is caused by problems with the pancreatic hormone insulin. Insulin helps fat, muscle and liver cells pull glucose out of your blood, and diabetics either do not make enough insulin or do not respond well to it. One of the most important...
Glucose is a sugar in the blood, and in high amounts, it is responsible for diabetes. Diabetes results when your glucose levels are not controlled, rising above unhealthy levels for a variety of reasons. You may not be following your treatment...
Your body uses carbohydrates for energy, converting them into glucose that fuels cellular growth. Eating any type of carbohydrate will therefore have an effect on your blood sugar levels, alerting your pancreas to produce insulin, which transports...
As of 2007, 7.8 percent of the U.S. population has diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. Although this condition can lead to life-threatening complications if not controlled, monitoring your blood sugar with a blood glucose...
The causes of insulin resistant diabetes are numerous; however, the primary risk factors are being overweight and inactive. Insulin resistant diabetes is a cyclic disease. Your liver, muscle and fat try to absorb sugar from your blood. When your...
It is very important for children with diabetes to regularly test their blood glucose levels. The American Diabetes Association says diabetes is "high blood glucose levels that result from defects in the body's ability to produce or use insulin."...
Finding the right blood glucose meter depends on its ease of use, the amount of blood required, the least painful implementation and readable results. DiabetesBB.org recommends these five blood glucose meters: LifeScan OneTouch Ultra2 Blood...
Blood sugar meters, also known as blood glucose monitors, provide diabetic patients with the ability to check blood sugar throughout the day to manage and control their disease. Manufacturers frequently offer free blood sugar meters to diabetic...
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...
Diabetes affects 26.3 million individuals in the United States, costs $174 billion and is the seventh leading cause of disease-related death in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite new drugs that have...
In 1999 to 2000, approximately 10.4 percent of American children ages 2 to 5 ranked above the 95th percentile for BMI or body mass index. A high BMI indicates a high percentage of body fat, which may classify the individual as overweight or obese....
Regular testing of blood glucose levels is essential for diabetic patients, as it allows them to determine how well their diabetes is being controlled by their medications and lifestyle changes. There are a variety of manufacturers that make...
The Freestyle meter is a type of blood glucose monitor created by Abbott Laboratories. A glucose meter is an essential tool for diabetics to monitor their blood glucose levels. Monitoring glucose levels is vital to determine your appropriate...
If you are a type 1 or type 2 diabetic, then you most likely monitor your blood-sugar levels throughout the day. Many glucose meters will store numerous blood-sugar readings so that you're able to look back at past records, however, if you are...
In order for people with type II diabetes to accurately gauge how much glucose (sugar) is in their bodies, they must test regularly. This procedure involves lancing a finger with a small needle to produce a pinprick of blood. The blood then is...
The two essential parts of a glucose meter are the testing strip (which is single-use) and the monitor itself. The testing strip is a small piece of paper that has certain chemicals on it, which allow it to react with sugar in the blood. The...
