Health

How often should my blood sugar be measured?

Blood glucose measurements are a flexible way to achieve a good therapeutic balance. They allow the patient to optimize his insulin treatment and adapt it to prevailing conditions, such as carbohydrate intake, exercise, stress and infections.

The Point of options

The point is that patients with type 1 diabetes measure their blood glucose daily before meals just before taking meal insulin. If the patient’s treatment balance is very good, the number of measurements may be reduced. Conversely, poor therapeutic balance requires more measurements, preferably 90 minutes after a meal, in order to evaluate the effect of the insulin administered. Blood sugar is therefore often measured three to four times a day. You can go for the reference to blood sugar levels.

The standard dose of insulin prescribed by your doctor is considered the starting point for the patient’s insulin therapy and is adjusted as necessary. The prerequisite for this approach is that the patient has the necessary knowledge to understand how insulin therapy works and how the body responds to various treatment changes.

Contact the Nurse

If necessary, the patient may contact a diabetes nurse to help determine the correct dosage. At the next meal or 90 minutes after a meal, the patient will be answered whether the previous insulin dose was appropriate.

Daily blood glucose measurements are often the easiest way to do so, as this will create a routine. Missing measurements is unlikely because they are related to meal insulin. By this method, diabetes is satisfactorily controlled.

Patients with type 2 diabetes and that undergoing insulin treatment should measure their blood glucose daily before breakfast and possibly before other meals, especially if treatment is unsatisfactory. Type 2 diabetics treated with diet and exercise and / or tablets should measure fasting in the morning before breakfast each day.

The Benefits

The benefit is that when blood sugar is measured in type 2 diabetes every morning, it also provides feedback on treatment. If your blood sugar is high one morning, it is a sign that some action is needed to hopefully return to good levels the next morning. The risk of getting late complications is much lower if the treatment balance is good.

Blood sugar at bedtime

In type 1 diabetes, blood glucose levels should preferably be between 7 and 10 mmol / l at bedtime. With modern insulin therapy, there is a small risk that your blood sugar will fall too low at night (hypoglycaemia).

If your blood sugar is low at bedtime, you should eat an extra evening meal. If your blood sugar is very high at bedtime, you can take extra fast-acting insulin.

In type 2 diabetes, blood glucose levels should preferably be less than 7 mmol / l. In type 2 diabetes, blood glucose rarely falls low at night if no insulin treatment is given. If you are still worried, you can set the clock a few times and check your glucose in two, three countries at night.

Are there other times when your blood sugar needs to be measured?

Blood glucose should be measured if you feel unwell or feel that your blood sugar is either too low or too high.

If you have type 1 diabetes and your blood sugar is high (above 20 mmol / l), you should measure your urine for ketones in a strip test. Urinary ketones are a warning sign that an individual is either developing or has already developed acid poisoning (ketoacidosis) that requires immediate treatment. In such a situation, health care must be consulted.

What Is Glycated Hemoglobin?

Patients also refer to glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) as long-term blood sugar. It measures how much of the hemoglobin (red blood red dye) is glycated (hemoglobin-bound glucose).

According to the latest national guidelines, HbA1c should be less than 52 mmol / ml (IFCC, previously 6% according to Mono S). The sample is taken either as a normal blood sample from the arm or as a capillary home test, which the patient sends to the laboratory for analysis.

HbA1c is a good indicator of how much your blood glucose levels have averaged over the last two months. Values ​​above 63 mmol / mol are too high and clearly represent an increased risk of late complications in the long term.