Blood Glucose (Home Test)

Definition

What is blood glucose (home test)?

The home blood glucose test measures the amount of a type of sugar (called glucose) in the blood at the time of the test. The test can be done at home or anywhere else, using a small portable machine called a blood glucose meter. A home blood sugar test can be useful for monitoring blood sugar levels. Talk to your doctor about how often you should check your blood sugar levels. How often you should get checked out depends on your diabetes treatment, how well your diabetes is controlled, and your overall health. People who use insulin to control diabetes may need to check their blood sugar levels as often as possible. A home blood sugar test is often called a blood sugar level monitoring or self-test.

If you rarely or completely don’t use insulin, a blood sugar test can be very helpful in learning about how the body reacts to food, illness, stress, exercise, medications, and other activities. Before and after meals can help you adjust what you eat. Some types of glucose meters can store hundreds of data on your glucose test results. This will make it easier for you to review the accumulated glucose results over time and predict the glucose level at any given moment, as well as quickly observe any major changes in the glucose level. Some of these systems can also transfer information to a computer so that it can be converted into graphs or other easily analyzed forms.

Some of the newer glucose meter models can communicate with an insulin pump. An insulin pump is a machine that delivers insulin throughout the day. The meter helps decide how much insulin you need to keep blood sugar levels within a target range.

When should I have my blood glucose (home test)?

Your doctor will advise you on how often you should check your blood sugar levels. Generally, the frequency of testing depends on the type of diabetes you have and your treatment plan.

Type 1 diabetes. Your doctor may recommend a blood sugar test 4-8 times a day if you have type 1 diabetes. You may need tests before meals and snacks, before and after exercise, before bedtime, and occasionally during the night. You may also need to check your blood sugar more frequently if you are sick, change your daily routine or start a new medication.
Type 2 diabetes. If you are taking insulin to treat type 2 diabetes, your doctor may order blood sugar tests two or more times a day, depending on the type and amount of insulin you need. Tests are usually recommended before meals, and sometimes at bedtime. If you manage type 2 diabetes with non-insulin medications or with your own diet and exercise, you may not need to check your blood sugar levels every day.

Precautions & warnings

What should I know before having blood glucose (home test)?

If you feel that the test results from the meter differ from what you expected, repeat the test. Regular prenatal visits and regular home blood glucose monitoring are very important for pregnant women with diabetes. Women who keep blood sugar levels within the recommended range increase their chances of having a healthier baby and reduce their chances of having complications related to diabetes. Urine tests may be used to check for a serious condition called diabetic ketoacidosis. The blood can also be checked for ketones.

Process

What should I do before having blood glucose (home test)?

The blood sugar test requires a small electric device called a glucose meter. The meter will read the amount of sugar in a small sample of blood, usually from the tip of your finger, which you place on a disposable stick. You should discuss with your doctor or diabetes specialist for a more suitable tool. You should also ask your doctor or diabetes specialist to teach you how to use the meter.

How does blood glucose process (home test)?

The test instructions differ slightly with each model of the home blood glucose meter. For accurate results, follow the instructions for the meter carefully. When checking blood sugar with an at-home blood glucose meter:

wash your hands with warm soapy water. Dry well with a clean towel
insert the clean needle (lancet) into the lancet tool. The lancet tool is a pen-sized taper holder that holds, positions and controls the depth of the needle that enters the skin.
Remove the test stick from the bottle. Close the bottle immediately after removing the stick to prevent moisture from affecting the other sticks. The sticks are sometimes stored in the meter.
prepare a blood sugar meter (glucose meter). Follow the instructions on the meter
Use a lancet tool to pierce the side of the fingerprint with a stick. Don’t prick your fingertips; the puncture will be more painful and you may not get enough blood for the test to be accurate. Some new blood sugar meters have used a lancet tool that can get blood samples from places other than the fingers, for example from the palms of the hands or upper arms.
drop the blood at the right point on the stick
Using a clean cotton ball, press where you inserted the needle in your finger (or other place) to stop the bleeding
follow the directions with the blood sugar meter to get the results. Some meters only take a few seconds to produce results.

What should I do after having had my blood glucose (home test)?

You can write down the results and timing of the blood tests. However, most meters will store your results for a few days or weeks, so you can double check and get one. You and your doctor will use these records to see how often your blood sugar levels fall within the recommended range. The doctor will also use the results to decide if a change to diabetes medication (insulin or pills) is needed.

Discard lancet safely after using it. Do not throw it in the household trash. A lancet that was thrown away carelessly might accidentally stab someone. Discard the lancet in a plastic container, such as an empty soap bottle. Seal the premises if it is almost ¾ full. Check with your local waste disposal agency on how to properly dispose of lancet. Some agencies have specific instructions for disposing of medical waste. Sometimes the doctor’s office will remove the lancet for you.

Explanation of the Test Results

What do my test results mean?

The ranges below describe where the blood sugar levels should be throughout the day. The ideal range of blood sugar levels may differ from others and will change throughout the day.

For non-pregnant people with diabetes:

70 mg / dl (3.9 mmol / l) to 130 mg / dl (7.2 mmol / l) before meals
less than 180 mg / dl (10 mmol / l) 1-2 hours after starting a meal

For women with diabetes related to pregnancy (gestational diabetes):

95 mg / dl (5.3 mmol / l) or less, before breakfast
140 mg / dl (7.8 mmol / l) or less, 1 hour after starting a meal, or 120 mg / dl (6.7 mmol / l) or less than 2 hours after starting a meal

Many conditions can change blood sugar levels. The doctor will discuss any outstanding abnormal results with you related to your symptoms and past health conditions.

Ask your doctor about your target blood sugar range, and make a plan for how to handle blood sugar results that are too high or too low and when to call your doctor.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/home-blood-glucose-test?print=true
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/in-depth/blood-sugar/art-20046628?pg=2
http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/how-test-blood-glucose?page=2