Undoubtedly, a good control of glycemia begins with a glucometer.
Your doctor or diabetes consultant at the hospital can help you choose the right one for you and teach you how to use it, as well as show you how to record and interpret the results.
There are many different glucose meters on the market to help check blood sugar levels.
BEFORE PURCHASING ONE…
There are several factors that can be taken into account. These are some of them:
- The speed with which results are obtained
- The ease of use of the meter and its blood reading strips
- The size of the device
- The cost of the test strips
Personally, I think the crucial factor is accuracy.
Please note that glucose meters on the market are allowed to have a variable precision. Their margin of admissible error is governed by ISO regulations (15197:2013).
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WHICH MARGINS OF ERROR ARE ALLOWED IN A GLUCOMETER?
FOR REAL BLOOD
GLUCOSE LEVELS
OF 75 MG/DL OR MORE
Allowed margin of error of ± 20%,
95 % of the time.
This means that if, for example, your blood glucose level is 100 mg/dl, the glucose meter could show values between 80 and 120 mg/dl.
FOR REAL BLOOD
GLUCOSE LEVELS
BELOW 75 MG/DL
Allowed margin of error of ± 15 mg/dl,
95% of the time.
In other words, if the actual blood glucose value is 60 mg/dl, the glucose meter could show values between 45 and 75 mg/dl.
From my point of view these margins of error are crazy, especially when you have to control hypoglycemia on a daily basis, sometimes on an hourly basis.
As personal advice, I would recommend you to choose a glucose meter that makes its measurements as accurate as possible, for as long as possible. The numbers we see on the screen significantly affects what follows, and a reading of 45 mg/dl is no way near a reading of 75 mg/dl!!
In addition, you must consider that these accuracy criteria are governed by standard criteria. That is, under those perfect conditions where the meter, strips and blood samples are handled following the exact recommendations of each manufacturer.
Therefore, it is important to know which factors influence the measurements, so we can do everything that is possible, in order to better control glycemia.
La Otra Cara de la Insulina reminds you that we are not doctors.
If you have any doubts or questions about the treatment to follow, you should consult qualified medical personnel.
Funny and original glucometer cases, medical alert wristbands, insulin pump cases, books…
Surely there is something for you!