One of the most common diseases of the 21st century is considered to be diabetes. And in order for this disease not to lead to serious and irreparable consequences, it is imperative to monitor the level of blood sugar. To greatly facilitate the life of a person and save him from constant visits to a medical institution, a device was created for measuring blood sugar or, as it is also called, a glucometer. In today's article, we will consider what you should pay attention to when choosing this device.
History of its occurrence
The issue of monitoring blood sugar levels worried doctors back in the 50s of the last century. Then, for this purpose, special test strips were used, with which it was possible to establish the amount of glucose in the urine ("Clinics system") or blood ("Detrostics system"). But given the fact that the determination of glucose levels occurred only visually, there was a very high error during such diagnostics.
Therefore, after 20 years, the world's first device for measuring blood sugar was developed. His activity was based on the conversion of a light signal, which was reflected from colored test strips, into an indicator of the numerical value of sugar in the human body. Among the shortcomings of these devices, it can be distinguished that the test strips used in them needed to be washed after each use.
After that, a gradual improvement of these drugs began. For example, the appearance of devices that use indelible test strips for a glucometer can be noted. A distinctive feature of these devices is the ability to take blood not only from the fingers, but also from the forearm. In addition, only one drop of blood is enough to determine the level of sugar. The result, as a rule, becomes known within 30 seconds.
Today, glucometers are divided into the following categories:
- For people aged and diagnosed with diabetes.
- For people of a younger age and also with an established diagnosis of diabetes.
- For people who are likely to have this disease.
Classification of glucometers
To date, such devices are:
- Photometric, determining the level of sugar in the blood, depending on the color of the test zones. The color changes depending on the reaction of glucose to the substance deposited on the strip. But it is worth noting that this technology is considered a bit outdated.
- Electromechanical. In these devices, the amount of sugar is measured by the amount of current. This opportunity arises due to the interaction of sugar and special elements that are applied to the test strips. If we compare these devices with photometric ones, then the accuracy of their determination will be several times higher. In addition, it should be noted that they are also practically not affected by external factors. Also, as a rule, these glucometers use plasma calibration.
- Ramanovsky. These devices determine the level of sugar in the blood, distinguishing it from the general spectrum of the skin. That is, this procedure absolutely does not require blood sampling. True, at the moment this technology is still under development, but judging by recent studies, its results exceed all expectations.
How to measure blood?
It is no secret that the results of measurements taken at home may differ slightly from what was done in the laboratory. Therefore, to make this difference almost invisible, you should adhere to simple rules, which include:
- Washing your hands in warm water and then wiping them before proceeding to take tests.
- Massaging a finger or other parts of the body before taking blood.
- Regular changes in blood sampling sites. This will avoid skin tightening in those places that were previously used.
- Do not stab deep.
- Use only your lancets.
- Do not use the first drop of blood. In addition, make sure that the drop is not smeared.
Remember, it is strictly forbidden to hold your finger tightly, as this can lead to the mixing of blood with tissue fluid. Also, special attention should be paid to protecting the test strips from moisture. Therefore, they need to be removed only before use.
Glucometer for the elderly
The device for measuring blood sugar in the elderly is in high demand. That is why it should be quite simple and reliable. Reliability includes: the presence of a sturdy case, a large screen and a minimum number of moving devices, which in the course of their work can become malfunctioning. Simplicity is determined by the small size and the presence in it of an encoded test strip for the meter that works with a special chip, and not a standard set of buttons and numbers that you need to enter. Also distinguishing features of this device are its affordable price and lack of technical parameters, which, by definition, for an elderly person, unlike a younger one, are not so demanded. These parameters include: a large amount of memory, a huge speed of measuring sugar levels and the ability to connect to a computer.
Also, the most preferred devices include:
- Glucometer "One Touch".
- Glucometer "Select Simple".
- Glucometer "Accu-Chek".
It should also be remembered that when choosing such a device for a person in years, it is necessary to pay attention to the prevalence of test strips for this model, so that in the future you do not have to spend your time in unsuccessful searches, and their size. In addition, it is not recommended to purchase them very small, which subsequently only complicates their use for the elderly.
Glucometer strips as the main cost item
As practice shows, the initial price of a glucometer is almost nothing compared to the amount that will need to be spent on the regular purchase of test strips. That is why, before buying a device, it is recommended to compare their prices for this and other models.
But it is worth noting that the cheap price of strips for a glucometer should not be the reason for buying a low-quality device, the accuracy of which can leave much to be desired. Remember that this device is purchased not for a “tick”, but for your health, and not only to prevent further possible complications during the course of diabetes, but also to increase the life span. In addition, as practice shows, it is not recommended to buy test strips in individual packaging, it is better to opt for those that are sold in "collective" packaging. This choice is argued by the fact that after the opening of the "collective" packaging, the remaining test strips will deteriorate if they are not used on time. Therefore, this property of them in a certain way stimulates the patient for regular checks of sugar levels in the body, which subsequently positively affects the general course of the disease.
What is better for youth?
Choosing a glucometer for young people (12-30 years old), it is better to stop your choice on those that are in highest demand:
- Glucometer "Accu Check".
- Glucometer "Jimeyt"
- Glucometer "UltraIzi"
This choice is due to the fact that for young people the issues of compactness, speed of measurement and other technical bells and whistles are very relevant. As an example, we can cite the Gmate Smart model, which today is the most compact model, since it is connected through the headphone jack in the iPhone, and the workflow itself occurs through a small mobile application. Also worth noting is the Accu Chek Mobile glucometer, the hallmark of which is the use of small drops of blood and special test cassettes that use a film very similar to that used several years ago in tape recorders. It is on it then that it will be necessary to apply a small drop of blood. The period of determining the level of glucose in the blood by this model is 5 seconds, and the number of possible determinations is two thousand. In addition, Accu Chek Mobile glucometers do not use encoding. The device itself is already equipped in advance with a special pen-piercer, inside of which there is a drum having thin lancets. To use the pen, one press is enough, which first of all saves the person from opening the packages with test strips and further installation in the measuring device, as well as completely eliminating the need for storage of the pen-piercer and frequent replacement of lancets. The only drawback that this meter has is the price of the device itself and special test cassettes.
Blood glucose meter for periodic glucose measurement
Given the high prevalence of diabetes at the moment, many doctors recommend that patients from time to time check the sugar level in their body. Such models can carry out, let us say, passive control:
- Glucometer "SelectSimple".
- Glucometer "TS Contour".
The correct choice of these particular models is confirmed by several points:
- For the "Simple Simple" meter, test strips of 25 units are sold in one jar.
- The strips used in the "Contour TS" are completely isolated from contact with oxygen and can be stored for a long time.
- In addition, both devices do not need encoding.
The principle of using the meter
As mentioned above, the meter is an almost invaluable thing for people suffering from a disease such as diabetes. Another distinctive feature of modern devices is that they keep a record of the previous measurement of sugar level in the body, which allows not only to look at your past result, but also to compare indicators.
The use of this measuring device itself is not only quite simple, but also does not require special knowledge in medicine. All that is needed is to prick the fingertip (the procedure is fully automated) and apply the protruding drop of blood to a special strip, which is also called the glucometer test. Further, all that remains to be done is to wait only a few seconds (at this time the information on the sugar level is read out) and see the numbers displayed on the display.
Also, speaking about the advantages of using this device, one should not forget that thanks to it, constant, quick and, most importantly, reliable control of blood glucose level is ensured. In addition, do not forget about the high accuracy of the measurements, which will not only allow you to get the most accurate picture of the state of your body, but also avoid the appearance of various complications, which, as a rule, in most cases are satellites of this disease.
Glucometer "One Touch"
Consider one of the latest devices from the company Lifescan, which is deservedly in high demand around the world. One of its major advantages over other models is the fully Russified menu, which at times simplifies the procedure for familiarizing yourself with its principle of operation. It is also worth noting the unique function of this device, namely the food mark. If this function is enabled, then the results of glucose measurements can be divided - before and after eating. This feature is very convenient for those people who want to learn about how it eats, and highlight foods that affect lowering or raising blood sugar. In addition, thanks to an audible warning of an excessively high glucose level, you can be sure of either your complete safety or the complication of the situation. This blood sugar meter, as standard, contains:
- The meter itself with a battery.
- Packing test strips (10 units).
- Pen for piercing.
- Lancets (10 pcs.).
Another joyful event was the fact that more recently, test strips used in these glucometers began to be issued with the same code. Thanks to this approach, it became possible to set the code once, without further reinstalling it.
Glucometer "TS Contour"
Made in Japan, this device is in high demand both among the younger generation and the older. But for the sake of truth, it should be noted that nevertheless it gained a lot of popularity among people over 40. This is primarily due to its ease of use and the use of “no coding” technology, which does not include the use of any settings of a code chip or digital input values. Thanks to this function, errors that could have occurred if a digital code had to be entered were completely eliminated. It is especially worth noting that now there is no need for independent verification of the code of test strips, since everything is completely automated in it. I would also like to add a few words about its high accuracy of measurements, which was checked and subsequently confirmed by European medical laboratories.
The advantages that the Contour TS glucometer has are:
- Large screen and accessible interface.
- Plasma encoding.
- A bright orange port for test strips, making it easy to see for visually impaired people.
For another reason, the "Contour TS" model is popular: it is a glucometer, the price of which is reasonably affordable for older people,
The only thing to remember when using this device is that the lancets and test strips are disposable.