Anyone who has diabetes is very familiar with a glucose meter. This is a small device that measures the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood. A needle comes with the machine that you use to prick the top of your finger. Then you squeeze a small drop of blood onto a strip that you insert into the meter and wait for the reading to come up.
A meter to measure blood sugar levels is very small. Some are even small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, which makes them easy to take with you wherever you go. They also run on batteries and do not require any electrical power. The test strips that are used with the meter and the needles are purchases separately and usually one package of each will last for a month or more, depending on how often you perform the test. In most devices the strip and the needle must be discarded after every use, but some of the more modern devices take strips that can be reused for two or three times.
The size of the blood sample determines whether or not you obtain an accurate reading from the glucose meter. Some devices require quite a large sample, while others only need to have a small smear on the strip. The time it takes to read the sample also varies from one machine to another, but all of them provide a reading in less than a minute.
For those who wish or must take a reading of their glucose levels at home, the initial cost of purchasing a glucose meter can be quite expensive. Then you have to factor in the cost of the replacement strips and needles. Health insurance does cover a substantial amount of the cost, but for those without health coverage, it means an additional expense that they often cannot afford.
When you use such a device at home, it is easy to keep track of your glucose readings. For diabetics who have to take insulin, the reading from a glucose meter can help them determine the size of the dose they must take each time.
