The glucometer, also known as the glucose meter, is a medical tool used to measure the concentration of sugar in the bloodstream. It is commonly used by people afflicted with type 1 and type 2 diabetes or hypoglycemia. This is because their condition requires them to monitor their blood glucose plenty of times every day and keep it as close to normal as possible.
People use glucose meters measure the blood glucose concentration by taking a small amount of blood and placing it on a disposable test strip. This test strip is then fed to the device which then calculates the concentration. It gives out the results in milligrams per deciliter or millimoles/liter after a few minutes.
This procedure is costly especially for those with type 1 diabetes because these people have to do the test four to ten times each day. The high cost is due to the fact that each test strip can only be used once so a person ends up spending a few dollars every day. Some manufacturers of these devices even give out the device for free because the test strip is so expensive. However, there are some meters that have discs instead of strips, and these discs can be used more than once.
In choosing glucometer models, there are some factors that need to be taken into consideration. Physical characteristics of glucose meters include size, display, and clock or memory. These meters are on average the size of the hand, such that some can be larger or smaller.
Different meters also give the result in different units of measure. Meters issued in the U. S., France, Japan, Israel, and India typically give the reading in milligrams per deciliter. On the other hand those issued in Canada, Australia, China and the UK give the reading in millimoles per liter. To convert between the two units of measurement, simply multiply millimoles per liter by 18 or divide milligrams per deciliter by 18. At present, only hospitals and doctors in Germany routinely work in both units of measurement.
Glucose meter models also possess different memory capacities and clocks. Clocks show the present time and date. The memory capacity stores past readings. The more capacity, the more results can be saved. The saved results allow patients to see the trends and patterns in their blood sugar concentrations.
Due to the fact that glucometers are often used for keeping tabs on medical conditions, the accuracy of the results is an important quality. Based on the standards of the International Organization for Standardization, the results obtained from a good meter must be come within 20% of a laboratory standard 95% of the time. A good device should therefore be immune as much as possible from the effects of temperature and humidity, size and quality of blood samples and test strips, and other substances that are in the blood.
Maybe in the future meters that do not need blood samples can be invented that will allow continuous monitoring of sugar concentrations. However, individuals will have to settle for the glucometer of today. In selecting such a device, individuals have to take into consideration the cost of the test strips or discs, the memory capacity, size, and accuracy.
Did you know that a glucometer is used to measure the concentration of sugar in the bloodstream? All you need to know and more about this fantastic device can be found now in our online overview of the best glucometers on the market.
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