All You Need to Know About Blood Glucose Monitors

Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a very dangerous condition and a major cause of serious diseases such as stroke, cardiovascular disease, blindness, kidney failure, erectile dysfunction, etc.

Therefore, a blood glucose monitor is considered the best medical device for maintaining blood glucose levels in balance. However, choosing to purchase a good blood glucose monitor that fits your budget is a matter of concern for many people nowadays. Let's explore more detailed information below to find a suitable product for yourself.

What Is Blood Glucose?

Blood glucose, or blood sugar, is a term used to refer to the amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood of humans or animals. Glucose is considered the primary and essential source of energy for the nervous system and the brain.

This glucose level (or blood sugar level) is always maintained at a certain level, so if this level increases or decreases abnormally, it is a dangerous sign for the body.

High Blood Glucose

This is a condition of excess sugar (glucose) in the blood. According to research by the World Health Organization on blood glucose levels (unit: g/l) in normal individuals, if this level is greater than or equal to 1.26 g/l, it means high blood glucose, and at other times during the day if this level is greater than or equal to 2g/l, it is called postprandial hyperglycemia.

Low Blood Glucose

Conversely, low blood glucose is when the amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood drops below the permissible level of 3.9-6.4 mmol/l.

Dangers of High Blood Glucose

Whether blood glucose is high or low, it is extremely dangerous and significantly affects health. Low blood glucose causes the body to become tired, lacking in energy, while high blood glucose disrupts biochemical reactions in the body, making substances unable to be metabolized as usual.

Safe Blood Glucose Levels?

Glycemic Index (GI) is an index that shows the increase in blood sugar levels when the body absorbs starchy and sugary foods such as bread, rice, noodles, or other sweet foods.

According to research by the American Diabetes Association, safe blood sugar levels are:

• Before meals: readings ranging from 90-130mg/dl (about 5.0-7.2mmol/l). 1-2 hours after meals: readings below 180mg/dl (about 10mmol/l).
• Before bedtime: readings from 110-150mg/dl (about 6.0-8.3mmol/l).
• Blood glucose levels are extremely important so you need to have a plan to monitor before and after meals. This monitoring will help you adjust your lifestyle or diet accordingly. In particular, using supportive devices such as blood glucose monitors is essential.

So what is a blood glucose monitor, how does it work, and what is its usefulness in health monitoring?

What Is a Blood Glucose Meter?

A blood glucose meter (English name: Blood Glucose Meter) is a type of health monitoring device commonly used in the medical field, with the main purpose of determining the amount of glucose or glucose concentration in the blood through extremely accurate parameters.

Most blood glucose meters on the market today use electrochemical measurement methods (or sensor technology), so they provide very accurate results. With this electrochemical sensor technology, electrodes are placed in the test strip and will be provided with accurate polarization, this electrochemical reaction chain will generate a linear current with the concentration of glucose in the blood, then the processor will give results.

Criteria for Evaluating Blood Glucose Meters Which One Is Good

Price of Blood Glucose Meter

The price range for owning a blood glucose meter nowadays is quite diverse and abundant, from very cheap products costing only a few hundred thousand to high-end products costing up to 10, 15 million,...

However, according to the information we have researched, products priced from 300K to 2 million dong are very popular, as these are basic products with relatively cheap prices. At this price range, it can meet all the needs of patients.

Design

Because the blood glucose meter is a handheld device, when choosing, you should pay attention to products with compact designs, easy-to-hold shapes, but the display screen must be clear and easy to observe, especially for the elderly with impaired vision.

Sampling Site

The sampling site can be the fingertip, forearm, upper arm, or thigh, which is extremely convenient. However, for safety, you should consult your doctor before collecting blood samples at home.

Accuracy of Blood Glucose Meter

Of course, the accuracy of a home-use meter cannot be compared to a specialized meter at medical facilities, hospitals, but to test the quality of the product, you can test the accuracy to see if the results differ significantly from professional devices.

Memory of the Meter

With old blood glucose meter models, the memory typically can only record up to 10 results, but with new models nowadays, they can record up to 500 results, which is truly a very good improvement.

Accompanying Software

Blood glucose meters with accompanying software will greatly assist you. This accompanying software has the ability to store results as well as synchronize data with a computer automatically instead of manual operations that take up a lot of your time.

Warranty

The strength of current blood glucose meter lines is the relatively good warranty policy, usually up to 5 years for a genuine product, and some lines are even warranted for life.

Which Brand of Blood Glucose Meter Should You Buy?

Currently, there are many reputable blood glucose meter brands on the market for you to choose from such as: Omron, Accu chek, Rossmax, Medisafe, Johnson & Johnson, Uright, Medisana, Microlife, Roche, Optium, Beurer, Terumo, On Call Plus, …