When people with diabetes can control their blood sugar (glucose), they are more likely to stay healthy. People with diabetes use two kinds of management devices: glucose meters and other diabetes management tests. Glucose meters help people with diabetes check their blood sugar at home, school, work, and play. Other blood and urine tests reveal trends in diabetes management and help identify diabetes complications.
There are two different tests to measure your blood glucose:
The A1C test
The A1C test (pronounced A-one-C) reflects your average blood glucose level over the last 3 months. It is the best way to know your overall blood glucose control during this period of time.
This test used to be called hemoglobin A-1-C or H-b-A-1-C.
Self Monitoring (SMBG)
The blood glucose test you do yourself uses a drop of blood and a meter that measures the level of glucose in your blood at the time you do the test. This is called selfmonitoring of blood glucose (SMBG).
You and your health care team need to use both the A1C, SMBG and possibly other tests to get a complete picture of your blood glucose control.
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Glucose Meters
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Monday, 18 June 2007 |
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Deciding performance standards for glucose meters has been controversial and challenging. In spite of effort in the late 1970s and 1980s by both FDA and CDC, no universally accepted standards or testing methods have been developed for the measurement of glucose. CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recently held a standards conference and is exploring the possibility of developing a standard reference material for whole blood. |
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Glucose Meters
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Monday, 18 June 2007 |
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Anton Hubert Clemens received the first patent for a blood glucose meter called the Ames Reflectance Meter on September 14, 1971. Richard K. Bernstein, an insulin dependent physician with diabetes, was one of the first patients to monitor his blood glucose at home using a glucose meter. He published a report on his experiences in an early volume of the medical journal, Diabetes Care. He has also written a book on this subject "Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution: A Complete Guide to Achieving Normal Blood Sugars". |
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Diabetes Management Tests
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Monday, 18 June 2007 |
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Only patients who are unable to use blood glucose meters should use urine glucose tests. Testing urine for glucose, which was once the best way for patients to manage their diabetes, has mostly now been replaced by self-monitoring of blood glucose. There are three major drawbacks of urine glucose testing compared to blood testing. First, urine glucose testing will not tell you about low (below 180 mg/dl) glucose levels, since at lower levels glucose does not enter your urine. Second, urine glucose readings change when the volume of your urine changes. Third, your urine glucose level is more of an average value than your blood glucose level. There are several dipstick tests available on the market. |
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Diabetes Management Tests
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Monday, 18 June 2007 |
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When the body does not have enough insulin, fats are used for fuel instead of glucose. A by-product of burning fats is the production of ketones. Ketones are passed in the urine and can be detected with a urine test. If you do not have diabetes, you usually have only small amounts of ketones in your blood and urine. If you have diabetes, however, you may have high amounts of ketones and acid, a condition known as ketoacidosis. This condition can cause nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain and can be life threatening. |
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Diabetes Management Tests
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Monday, 18 June 2007 |
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One common and extremely serious result of diabetes is kidney failure. Under normal conditions, the kidneys filter toxins from the blood. When the kidney's filtering processes begin to become impaired, protein (microalbumin) begins to spill into the urine. Testing urine for small, yet abnormal amounts of albumin (microabluminuria) is a common way to detect this condition early, before it can damage your kidneys. |
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Diabetes Testing 
