The statistics on diabetes are terrifying. According to WHO, in 2010 alone, there were more than 285 million people with this pathology worldwide. And this is 6% of the total population of the planet. The prognosis is even worse, by 2030 it is estimated that there will be already 439 million patients.
The disease is one of the three most common pathologies and those that lead to disability, death. Moreover, mortality from the disease occurs in patients under the age of 70 years. However, mortality due to diabetes is high in countries with low incomes. One of the causes of death is the lack of control over blood sugar, which leads to complications, because it is impossible to immediately respond to the state of the body, adjust nutrition or take the drug.
Blood sugar
Every diabetic knows how important it is to maintain blood glucose levels. The norm is considered to be from 3.2 to 5.5 mmol / l. If the sugar level is even a little higher, then we can talk about the prediabetes state. If the indicator is above 7 mmol / l, then we can already talk about diabetes. These indicators are given for checking in the morning, on an empty stomach.
In children under 1 month of age, glucose levels range from 2.4 to 4.4 mmol / L. Between the ages of 60 and 90, sugar levels between 4.6 and 6.4 are considered normal.
After eating, the glucose level may rise to 7.8, but after a few hours it should return to normal. The above norms are equally relevant for people of any age and for tests that are obtained from blood from the fingertip.
When taking blood from a vein, the glucose level can be increased to 6.1 mmol / L.
Traditional measurement technique
How to check blood sugar? The easiest and most affordable way is to use a glucometer. In this case, a puncture is made with a special lancet (a very small and thin needle). The resulting blood as a result of a puncture is applied to the test strip. Then the strip is placed in a special device, which gives the results.
Today there is a wide line of glucometers. Some models can voice the results, others after processing the information save it for a long time to analyze the jumps in blood sugar over a certain period. And some models can even create visual pictures in the form of graphs and tables.
Almost any glucometer of this type can be purchased at an ordinary pharmacy.
Alternatives
How to check blood sugar at home, if it is no longer possible to pierce a finger? There are models that allow blood sampling from places other than limbs (fingers). It can be a shoulder or a forearm, a thigh, or even the base of a thumb.
However, it is worth remembering that it is at the fingertips that blood reacts as quickly as possible to changes in the body and changes in glucose levels. Therefore, when taking blood in other places, the results may differ slightly from those obtained from the fingers.
Also, such devices carry another danger: they do not puncture at the tip of the finger, the patient shows symptoms of hypoglycemia. Therefore, glucometers of this type are not particularly popular.
Laser device
This invention was patented back in 1998. It has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The essence of the device is that a light beam penetrates the skin, burning it, as a result, the patient practically does not feel discomfort.
How to check blood sugar at home and is it possible to purchase a laser device in our country? Back in 2015, at the Laser Photonics-2015 exhibition, the Russian company NSL presented to the domestic consumer a portable laser perforator, which, in addition to the usual blood sampling at home, allows you to analyze blood sugar levels.
The device weighs only 100 grams, that is, it is suitable for travel, it has a built-in battery that allows up to 100 punctures. "Laser" wounds heal much faster, and the risk of infection is reduced to almost zero.
FreeStyle Libre System
How to check your blood sugar? Of course, I want to make fewer punctures. Not so long ago, and more precisely in January of this year, the American company Abbott officially registered and presented a continuous monitoring system to Russian consumers.
The device consists of two parts:
- a sensor that is mounted on the forearm;
- receiver.
The essence of the device is that the sensor or sensor continuously monitors glucose levels to see the results, you just need to bring the receiver to the sensor and see the results on the monitor.
All data is stored for 90 days, that is, you can analyze the dynamics. The sensor itself on the forearm can be worn without taking off for 14 days.
Insulin pump
How to check blood sugar without a glucometer? An ideal solution for children is an artificial pancreas, or insulin pump with a system for continuous monitoring of glucose levels. The first on the market for such devices is the MiniMed 670G.
The essence of the device is that it has a sensor with a protruding needle, which is immersed under the skin and held onto it with adhesive tape. The second part of the device is presented in the form of a small bag, which is attached to the belt. The bag has a catheter that is inserted into the body. As glucose levels rise, insulin enters the body. All operations are completely automated, but there is one drawback: you will have to calibrate the device every 12 hours and, of course, replenish the bag with insulin.
Glucometer Bracelets
How to check blood sugar with a glucometer? Today there are quite innovative ways, for example bracelets.
One of the popular models is Glucowatch, which is an attractive accessory, therefore it is in demand among young people. According to the manufacturer, the accuracy of the device is 94%. A bracelet is put on the arm and looks like a watch, it can check the glucose level every 20 minutes. However, it is not blood composition that is analyzed, but sweat secretions, and all the data is sent to a synchronized device, for example, a smartphone. Charging via USB port.
Automatic blood pressure monitor
Russian inventors also presented an interesting device - a tonometer and a non-invasive glucometer in one set. How to check blood sugar with such a device?
First, the patient wraps his arm around the compress cuff, pumps it with air, as is done when measuring blood pressure. The data received is sent to the LCD screen. According to the inventors, in the process of squeezing the hand, the pulses in the veins transmit signals through the air. The so-called smart sensor converts these pulses into electrical ones, and they are read by the microscopic controller. And since glucose is an energetic material, the vascular tone changes significantly if the sugar level rises or falls.
The manufacturer assures that with diabetes insipidus, the results are almost 100%, if we are talking about patients taking insulin, then the probability of obtaining the correct data is 70%. Of course, there are still certain limitations, for example, the device does not show accurate data if a person has arrhythmia.
"Symphony tCGM"
This device is designed to be worn on the belt in the abdomen. How to check blood sugar with a device? The essence of the work is transdermal measurement of sugar level, that is, obtaining data through the skin. However, before wearing the device you will have to prepare the skin. To do this, you need the "SkinPrep Prelude", which can be called a kind of epilator, but only it removes the microscopic layer of the skin, about 0.01 mm. The procedure allows you to obtain more objective data.
A device is attached to the cleaned place, which determines the level of glucose in the subcutaneous tissue. All received data is sent to a smartphone or other synchronized device.
According to manufacturers, the accuracy of the device is 94.4%.
Testers
This method is also acceptable for home use. How to check blood sugar with a tester? As they say, it's simple - pee on a strip of reagent and check against the data in the table, which is always included.
How to determine glucose if there are no appliances
If you suddenly didn’t even have test strips at home and there is no place nearby where you can check your blood sugar, you should analyze your condition. Some symptoms may confirm an increase in blood glucose, namely:
- tormented by thirst and urination (including nighttime);
- dry skin
- strong appetite;
- fatigue and apathy;
- irritability;
- cramps in the lower limbs (calves);
However, these symptoms indicate the development of the problem, but if the disease is diagnosed, then with exacerbation, the following can be observed:
- vomiting
- itchy skin;
- loss of hair on the extremities with simultaneous growth on the face;
- the appearance of xanthomas, that is, small yellow growths;
- in the male, swelling of the foreskin may occur, accompanied by frequent urination.
Finally
How to check blood for sugar? First of all, the frequency of blood sampling is determined depending on individual indicators, which should be determined by the attending physician. Depending on the selected device, you should carefully study the instructions for its use and clearly follow it. It should also be remembered that after sexual contact at night in the morning, as a rule, the glucose level is normal, they are unlikely to be told about this in the clinic.
Before using the meter, you should choose a puncture site and wash it thoroughly, you can treat it with an alcohol-containing liquid. You should also know that diabetes is most often found in members of the same family. Therefore, if the parents or at least one of them is a diabetic, then the health of the child should be monitored from birth and everything possible to prevent the development of the disease.