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Home Blood Glucose TestTest Overview
A home blood sugar (glucose) test measures the level of glucose in your blood at the time of testing. The test can be done at home, or anywhere, using a small portable machine called a blood glucose meter.
A home blood sugar test involves pricking a finger with a small needle (lancet) to collect a drop of blood, placing the blood on a special test strip, and then inserting the test strip into the blood glucose meter. The blood glucose meter gives the results of a blood sugar test within a minute or less after testing. The results fairly accurately show the level of glucose in the blood at the time the test is done.
Some new blood sugar meters use lancet devices that can get a blood sample from sites other than the fingers, such as the forearm. Some meters also allow you to put the test strip in the machine before placing the drop of blood on it.
Home blood sugar testing can be used to monitor your blood sugar levels. People with diabetes usually need to check the amount of sugar in their blood at least once a day. People who take insulin to control their diabetes may need to check their blood glucose level several times a day. Testing blood sugar at home is often called home blood sugar monitoring or self-testing.
Some types of glucose monitors have data management systems that can store hundreds of glucose readings. This allows you to review collected glucose readings over time and calculate average glucose levels that occur at certain times of day. Some of these systems also allow information to be saved to a computer so that it can be turned into a graph or another easily analyzed form.
Why It Is Done
A home blood glucose test is an accurate way to measure blood sugar level at the time of testing. If you have diabetes, testing your blood glucose levels at home provides information about:
Your blood sugar level at anytime. It is important to know when your blood sugar is high or low, to prevent emergency situations from developing. It is also important to treat consistently high blood sugar levels so you can decrease your risk for eye and kidney complications from diabetes. Treating persistent high blood sugar levels also may help reduce your chances of developing heart, blood vessel, and nerve complications from diabetes.
How much insulin to take before each meal. If you take rapid- or short-acting insulin before meals, the blood sugar test results can help you determine how much insulin to take before each meal.
How exercise, diet, stress, and being ill affect your blood sugar levels.
Home blood sugar testing may also be used to:Determine an initial insulin dose and schedule, or it may be used to adjust the insulin doses or schedule.
Test blood sugar levels in people who have symptoms of high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) or low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
How To PrepareEquipment
You can buy home blood glucose testing equipment at local pharmacies and at large grocery or discount stores that have pharmacies. Some supplies for testing blood glucose levels can also be obtained through the mail or on the Internet.
The supplies you will need for testing blood glucose include:
A blood glucose meter. All blood glucose meters operate basically the same way. All meters give accurate results when used properly. The differences among meters are their various additional features.
Testing strips. These are made to be used with a specific model of meter.
Sugar control solution. Each meter has a special sugar control solution to be used with the meter. Many new meters do not require the use of control solutions because they have enhanced precision.
Lancets. These are short needles made for pricking your skin.
A pen-sized holder for the lancet (lancet device). This holds, positions, and controls how deeply the lancet goes into your skin.
Some new blood sugar meters use lancet devices that can obtain a blood sample from sites other than the fingers, such as the forearm.
Clean cotton balls. These are used to stop the bleeding from the testing site.
General instructions
To make sure you get accurate results when you test your blood sugar:
Check the expiration date on the bottle of testing strips. Don't use test strips after the expiration date on the bottle, or the test results may not be accurate.
Match the code number on the testing strips bottle with the number on the meter. If the numbers do not match, follow the directions with the meter for changing the code number.
Follow the instructions with the meter. All blood glucose meters have detailed instructions for performing the test. Follow these directions exactly.
Check the accuracy of the meter's results. Use the sugar control solution made by the meter's manufacturer. Follow the directions that came with the meter for proper use of the control solution.
Talk to your health professional about any concerns you have regarding the need for the test, its risks, or how it will be done. Complete the medical test information form to help you understand the importance of this test.
How It Is Done
The instructions for testing are slightly different for each model of home blood glucose meter. For accurate results, follow the instructions carefully. When testing blood sugar using a home blood glucose meter:
Wash your hands with warm soapy water. Dry them well with a clean towel. You may also use an alcohol wipe to clean your finger or other site.
Insert a clean needle (lancet) in the lancet device. The lancet device is a pen-sized holder for the lancet. It holds, positions, and controls how deeply the lancet goes into the skin.
Remove a test strip from the bottle of testing strips. Replace the lid immediately after removing the strip to prevent moisture from affecting the other strips.
Prepare the blood sugar meter (glucose meter). Follow the instructions included with your meter.
Use the lancet device to stick the side of your fingertip with the lancet. Do not stick the tip of your finger or the stick will be more painful and you may not get enough blood to do the test accurately. Some new blood sugar meters use lancet devices that can obtain a blood sample from sites other than the fingers, such as the forearm.
Put a drop of blood on the correct spot of the test strip.
Using a clean cotton ball, apply pressure where you stuck your finger (or other site) to stop the bleeding.
Follow the directions with your blood sugar meter to get the results. Some meters take only a few seconds to give the results.
Record the results. Recording blood sugar results and the time at which they were obtained is very important. Your doctor will use the written results to see how often your blood sugar levels have been within the recommended range. Your doctor will also use the results to decide if a change in medication (insulin or pills) for diabetes is needed.
How It Feels
Your fingertips may get sore from frequent pricking for blood sugar testing. To help prevent sore fingertips:
Always prick the side of your finger. Do not prick the tip of your finger. This increases the pain and you may not get enough blood to do the test accurately. Also, do not prick your toes to get a blood sample. This can increase your risk of developing a dangerous infection in your foot.
Don't squeeze the tip of your finger. If you have trouble getting a drop of blood large enough to cover the test area of the strip, hang your hand down below your waist and count to 5. Then squeeze your finger, beginning close to your hand and moving outward toward the tip of your finger.
Use a different finger each time. Establish a pattern for which finger you stick to avoid using some fingers more than others. If a finger becomes sore, avoid using it to test your blood sugar for a few days.
Use a different device. If you are having trouble with sore fingers, you may want to try a meter that obtains a blood sample from sites other than the fingers, such as the forearm.
RisksNot washing your hands before sticking your finger may cause an infection. However, this is not very common.
Over time, your fingertips may develop hardened areas from frequent blood sugar testing. Use lotion to help soften these areas.
Results
Home blood sugar testing provides accurate blood sugar results. The results are usually within 10% of blood glucose levels measured in a professional lab. Home glucose meters are not usually as accurate as laboratory measurement, especially when evaluating extremely low or high glucose values less than 60 milligrams per deciliter (3 mmol/L) or greater than 300 mg/dL (14.9 mmol/L).
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends certain plasma blood sugar level ranges. However, your doctor may set different ranges for you, depending on your health. Ranges recommended by the ADA are:
90 mg/dL (5 mmol/L) to 130 mg/dL (7.2 mmol/L) before meals and less than 180 mg/dL (10 mmol/L) 2 hours after a meal for nonpregnant people with diabetes.
105 mg/dL (5.8 mmol/L) or less before breakfast and 155 mg/dL (8.6 mmol/L) or less 1 hour after a meal for women with gestational diabetes.
When your blood sugar levels are checked in a lab, the results are reported as plasma levels. Home blood glucose meters provide blood sugar level results in either plasma or whole blood values. Know which type of value your blood glucose meter provides so you can compare your home blood sugar results with those done by your doctor. Plasma glucose levels are about 10% to 15% higher than whole blood levels. If your blood glucose meter shows results in whole blood values, you can convert the results to a plasma level by adding 10% to 15% to your value. For example, if your whole blood sugar level is 120:
Add 12 (120 x 10%) to your whole blood level. Then add 18 (120 x 15%) to your whole blood level.
Your plasma level will be between 132 (120 + 12) and 138 (120 + 18).
What Affects the Test
Alcohol in the drop of blood can affect your results. If you clean your skin with rubbing alcohol, let the area dry completely before sticking it with the lancet.
Always wash your hands with soap and water and dry them thoroughly with a clean towel before testing your blood sugar. If your hands are wet, even a small amount of water can affect your blood sugar results.
Squeezing the fingertip can affect the accuracy of the test.
Using too little or too large a drop of blood may affect the accuracy of the test.
Blood glucose meters cannot detect very low (below 40 mg/dL or 2.2 mmol/L) or very high (above 400 mg/dL or 22.2 mmol/L) blood sugar levels.
Blood sugar levels vary according to your diet, your activity level, and when you take your insulin or diabetes medication.
Proper care of the blood sugar testing equipment is important to ensure safety and to get accurate results.
Follow the instructions from the manufacturer about how to care for your meter. All meters can be damaged by dropping or jarring them and by very hot or cold temperatures. Some meters need to be cleaned regularly and have their batteries changed periodically.
Safely dispose of your lancets after they are used. Do not discard lancets into the household trash can. A used lancet might accidentally stick someone. Place used lancets into a plastic container, such as an empty laundry detergent bottle or plastic water bottle, and seal the container when it is about three-quarters full. Check with your local trash disposal agency about proper disposal of lancets. Some agencies have specific instructions for the disposal of biohazardous waste.
Do not store your test strips in the bathroom. When you remove a strip from the bottle, promptly secure the lid back on the bottle to prevent humidity from damaging the unused strips.
What To Think About
If you think a test result from your meter is different from what you expected, repeat the test. If you get similar results with the second test, you may need to talk with your doctor about what action to take.
It is important to keep a record of your glucose levels. This can help you and your health professional determine whether the measures you are using to control your diabetes are working.
There are several different styles of home blood glucose meters on the market today. Each meter has slightly different features.
Look for a meter that fits your needs. You can also search the Internet for home glucose monitoring equipment.
Some meters can store from 10 to 100 blood sugar results.
Some meters are able to calculate an average blood sugar for a period of time, such as over a day or a week.
Some manufacturers of blood sugar meters make computer programs that use the results from your meter to show patterns of how your blood sugar level changes.
Some meters have large print or even voice capabilities for people with poor vision.
Most insurance programs cover the expenses for home blood glucose equipment. Find out if your insurance company requires a letter or prescription from your health professional for reimbursement purposes.
Routine prenatal visits and regular home blood glucose monitoring are very important for pregnant women with diabetes. Women who keep their blood glucose levels within a recommended range increase their chances of having healthier babies and decrease their chances of having diabetes-related complications.
You can periodically check the accuracy of your blood sugar meter when your blood sugar test is done at the doctor's office or lab. To do so, test your blood sugar using your blood glucose meter at the same time the lab test is done. If your meter is accurate, the results should be no more than 15% above or below the lab's results. Your doctor may suggest that you do this if your recorded home values do not match the results obtained in the doctor's office.
A urine test for sugar is not an accurate indication of blood glucose levels. However, urine testing for ketones may be used to monitor a person with diabetes for a serious condition called diabetic ketoacidosis. For more information, see the medical test Ketones.
An automatic glucose monitoring device, the GlucoWatch, is worn much like a wristwatch and uses perspiration to measure the amount of glucose in the blood. This device may be useful as an additional monitoring tool, but it should not replace home blood sugar level testing.