A diabetic glucose meter, also known as a glucometer, is an appliance used by many diabetics to measure the concentration of glucose in the blood. Many models of these blood sugar monitors are manufactured and, while there are various styles and sizes, all are designed to perform the same basic functions.
These meters are critical pieces of equipment for those who have diabetes for the performance of daily blood glucose monitoring. For a diabetic, knowing your blood glucose level at any given time is an important piece of information. Blood glucose meters provide this information in a matter of seconds. Here’s how they operate.
A tiny drop of blood, obtained from the user by pricking the skin with a sharp needle called a lancet, is transferred to a single-use test strip. The glucose monitor then reads the test strip and displays a number that expresses the concentration of glucose in the blood at the time of the test. The sugar level is usually given in mg/dl (milligrams per deciliter).
A typical diabetic glucose meter is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, although larger models are also available. Some of the newer models are no larger than a pack of Lifesavers and almost all the units are simple to operate. Most are battery operated.
TEST STRIPS:
The use of a glucometer includes utilization of various supplies that are consumed during the testing process and must be periodically re-supplied. These include test strips (or discs), lancing devices (or lancets) and alcohol prep pads (used for sterilization).
The test strips contain a chemical that reacts with the glucose in the blood drop. These are used one time only and then thrown away. As an alternative, some units use discs instead, and these may be used multiple times before disposal.
CODING:
Some test strips require the user to manually set a code into their glucose meter to account for the fact that test strip batches may vary from one to another. The correct code can be found on the vial containing the strips and, if the coding is carried out incorrectly the resulting readings will be incorrect. The newer models of glucose testing meters no longer require this coding process to be carried out, as it’s automatically done by the unit.
A diabetic glucose meter can easily be found online for not much more than ten dollars, although most are in the twenty to thirty dollar range. There are literally hundreds of these models available. Many of the sites selling diabetic supplies offer free monitors as part of their sales promotions. Free is a very good price!