Structured Blood Glucose Monitoring For Diabetes
Monitoring blood glucose levels accurately can help everyone achieve better diabetes management
Everyone living with diabetes is different but, the one thing they all have in common is that the impact of diabetes is not limited to them alone. Monitoring blood glucose regularly in a structured way is one way to make sure everyone involved is making sense of the numbers and helps to stay in range. Better diabetes care doesn’t just benefit those living with diabetes but also the ones around them they treasure the most.
For over 40 years and with its Accu-Chek brand and mySugr app, Roche Diabetes Care has been dedicated to enabling people with diabetes to live life as normal and active as possible. We believe in the importance of structured blood glucose monitoring, here are some hints and tips to help you make sense of the numbers.
What is structured blood glucose monitoring?
Structured monitoring involves checking blood glucose readings for a purpose. Checking at specific times during the day allows you to see the effect food, exercise and medication is having on your blood glucose levels. This can give you a better understanding of the fluctuations in your blood glucose.
Tools to help structure blood glucose monitoring
It can be hard to monitor regularly, if you are out and about, on the move or at work. There are a number of tools available that can help establish a monitoring routine and spot accurate patterns such as the mySugr app which puts managing diabetes in your hand.
How often should you be monitoring?
The amount of factors that affect blood glucose levels are endless - food, exercise, medications, sleep, temperature etc, so it’s safe to say no day with diabetes is the same. Using a structured way of checking your blood glucose can help you reduce your HbA1c.1
Accuracy of monitoring blood glucose levels
It is only when monitoring blood glucose levels in a structured way, in different environments, will the results help build an accurate picture of the impacts of diet and lifestyle on your blood glucose levels.
Logging your activity, food intake and other factors may help you spot patterns and give you a good basis to have conversation with your healthcare professional about your therapy and lifestyle. Please discuss structured blood glucose monitoring with your healthcare professional.
The mySugr app: Making diabetes management easier for everyone living with diabetes
We know that the impact of diabetes isn't limited to those that have it. The mySugr app, helps remove the burden of staying on top of things for the person with diabetes and those who they treasure the most. Download the mySugr app and remove the burden of managing diabetes.
mySugr app
The mySugr app will be your best companion to monitor and manage your diabetes.
- Easy logging of blood glucose, meals, photos and more
- No more surprises: estimated HbA1c
- Bolus calculator and test reminders
Find out more or download the mySugr app:
Download paper based tools to help monitor blood glucose levels
Accu-Chek
Weekly Diary
Use this paper based diary template to record your blood glucose, your medical doses and any comments you want to keep.
Accu-Chek
360° View tool
Record your carb/meal size, insulin, energy levels, any activity and your blood glucose over a period of three days to spot patterns.
Accu-Chek
Testing in Pairs tool
Use this tool for seven days before and after a specific meal, exercise or other event to see how things can affect your blood glucose levels.
References:
- Polonsky WH, Fisher L, Schikman CH, Hinnen DA, Parkin CG, Jelsovsky Z, et al. Structured Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose Significantly Reduces A1C Levels in Poorly Controlled, Noninsulin-Treated Type 2 Diabetes: Results from the Structured Testing Program study. Diabetes Care. 2011;34(2):262–7.
- Study: Structured Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose in Non-Insulin Treated Type 2 Diabetes: The Evidence and the Impact Dr Sharon Parsons, Swansea University