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Q: What is the importance of
short-term testing using a blood glucose meter?
A: Patients can
track short-term glucose levels with a blood glucose meter. This test
tells patients what their blood glucose levels are at the time of testing.
It helps patients to see how food, physical activity and diabetes medicine
immediately affect their blood glucose levels. The readings from these
tests can help patients to manage their diabetes day-by-day or even
hour-by-hour.
Q: What is the goal of blood
glucose testing?
A: Ideal goals for most people with diabetes when
using a blood glucose meter are: 80-120 mg/dL before meals and 100-140
mg/dL at bedtime. An individual's blood glucose goals may be different
from these ideals.
Q: Can people tell what their blood
glucose levels are simply by how they feel?
A: Research shows few
people can tell their blood glucose levels simply by how they feel.
Testing people's blood glucose is the only certain way to know whether
they are reaching their blood glucose goals.
Q: Can anything be done about high
blood glugose levels?
A: People can do a lot to bring down their
high blood sugar, beginning with asking their health care providers for
the A1C test. If their A1C test result is too high, they can follow the
meal plan recommended by their health care providers, stick to a physical
activity program, take prescribed diabetes medicines and consult their
health care providers often. |
