Why is it important to check blood glucose?
Once you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes checking your blood glucose levels regularly with a meter can help you make choices about your food, physical activity and medications. (8) Keep a record of your results and use them to understand your readings. Take your blood glucose records to your healthcare provider visits, which will help you both decide how often you should check your blood glucose and if any changes are needed in your diabetes treatment plan. (9)
Ask your pharmacist or Healthcare Clinic nurse practitioner to help you choose the blood glucose meter that is best for you.
Speak to your healthcare provider about your blood glucose targets.
For most people, they are:
- Before meals: 70-130 mg/olL
- Two hours after meals: below 180 mg/dL
- At bedtime: 90-150 mg/dL (10)
What should I consider when choosing a blood glucose meter?
- ls it accurate?
- ls it easy to use?
- ls it easy to carry?
- ls the display screen large enough to see my results?
- Can I use blood from my forearm or other non finger sites?
- Will insurance cover the meter and strips?
- Can I upload the results to a computer? (11)