Blood Sugar Monitoring

Blood Sugar Monitoring

Blood sugar testing and monitoring is an extremely important part of the care in patients with diabetes.  If you or a loved one has diabetes, self-testing blood sugar levels should be taken seriously, and the regimen should be strictly followed to prevent adverse health problems.  If a person strictly adheres to their prescribed regimen of testing their blood sugar, this will help to prevent many long-term complications of diabetes that could occur.  If patient’s test their blood sugar at home, they are provided with instructions from their primary care provider of how to use the equipment appropriately to get the most reliable results.  Even though basic instructions are given in the MD office the patient needs monitoring in the home by a home health skilled nurse to ensure that the patient is performing the test correctly, and that blood sugar results are staying within the parameters as set by the MD.  Also, skilled nursing professionals will perform education regarding the Diabetes regime.

The electronic machines that measure blood sugar, and the ways in which they are used may vary.  Generally the steps are as follows.  Patient should wash their hands and dry them well, place a test strip into the glucose monitor, decide on a finger to obtain a blood sample from, wipe area with an alcohol prep pad, use lancet to pierce skin, squeeze area to reveal a drop of blood, due to using alcohol to prep the area the first drop of blood should be wiped away with a clean cloth or gauze and the second drop should be placed onto the test strip.  After placing a drop of blood onto the test strip most machines will provide the patient with a blood glucose result within five seconds.  From the result, the patient proceeds to administer their insulin if necessary.  All results should also be recorded in order to monitor long-term, and to differentiate between what is normal for you and what could possibly have changed.  If a patient gets a reading from the machine that is abnormal compared to their usual results, they should pick an alternative location to obtain a drop of blood from and perform the test again.  If the result remains abnormal, the patient may want to report it to their provider, along with any other symptoms they may be experiencing at that time.

The primary care provider that a patient sees will generally set target blood sugar test results ranges that are based on several underlying factors, including but not limited to:  type and severity of diabetes, patient age, length of time patient has had diabetes, whether or not patient is pregnant, any current complications related to diabetes, the overall health of the patient, and the presence of any other medical conditions that may alter blood sugar levels.  The therapeutic range of normal blood sugar levels varies according to each unique patient situation and their diagnostic background. 

Just to be prepared, following are some warning signs of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia that as a diabetic patient you should be aware of to prevent complications.  Some signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia include, but are not limited to:  blood sugar test result less than 60 mg/dL, blurry vision, tachycardia, shakiness, unexplained fatigue, cool and clammy skin, headache, hunger, dizziness.  A way one can remember signs of hypoglycemia is, “Cool and clammy, give me candy.”  Some signs and symptoms of hyperglycemia include, but are not limited to:  blood sugar test result greater than 200 mg/dL, frequent urination, increased thirst, blurred vision, fatigue and headache.  All signs and symptoms listed for both situations are early warning signs, if left untreated both conditions could lead to unconsciousness resulting in emergency medical care, or death.

Diabetes is a disease that should not be taken lightly, if you or a loved one is affected please take special care to adhere strictly to your prescribed regimen so that you are not faced with any life-threatening emergencies or long-term complications.  Always consult your provider with any questions or concerns and if possible follow up with a diabetic educator if need be, as this disease is their specialty.