A Pharmacist Guide – How To Choose A Glucometer?

If you have diabetes or risk of getting it, you are advised to get a blood glucose monitoring system (glucometer) to measure and display your current blood sugar level. This small device is crucial in the daily management of people with diabetes as blood sugar can fluctuate from time to time; and if left unchecked, short, or long-term problems may arise.¹  It is vital to monitor your blood sugar levels consistently as foods, exercise, medications, stress, and other factors can affect the blood sugar readings. Due to advancements in technologies, there are various types of blood glucose meters available in the market, but it can be confusing to decide among all these options. Fret not, we are here to help you!

How To Use a Typical Blood Glucose Meter? ²

Before selecting a blood glucose meter, it can be helpful to know how it functions. Most glucose meters require you:

1. Insert the test strips into the device
2. Clean and dry your fingertips (prefer to sanitize with an alcohol swab or hand soap)
3. Prick the clean fingertip using the selected lancet to get a drop of blood
4. Touch the test strip to the blood
5. Wait for the blood glucose reading to display on the screen

How To Choose The Right Blood Glucose Meter For YOU? 

These are some highlighted factors for you may consider:

1) Accuracy 

It is important to obtain accurate blood glucose readings as it will affect the treatment plan and diet, which are crucial in diabetes management. Make sure that you look out for blood glucose meters that are complied and certified with the international standard such as EN ISO 15197:2015 which outlines the requirements for the performance of blood-glucose monitoring system and specifies procedures according to the standard.³ To ensure consistent readings, stick to only one glucose meter for your daily management.

2) Blood Sample Size

Some glucose meters require larger blood samples than others, which could be struggling for people with poor blood circulation or other health conditions. Insufficient required blood samples could increase errors or wasted test strips as well. That’s why choosing a meter that only requires a tiny blood sample (0.5 microliters or less) can be beneficial for those who test blood glucose frequently and worry about painful pricks to draw out large blood samples.

3) Memory Storage

If you like to store all readings onto the meter, you need to check on its memory capacity as the number of readings stored may be ranging from hundreds to even thousands. Some meters provide extra features such as tracking the average reading by certain time frames (often 14, 30, or 90-days intervals) or by mealtimes. By monitoring the average blood glucose level, you can have a better understanding of the diabetes pattern.

4) Ease of use

Imagine if you are using a blood glucose meter that is complex, takes a long time to view the result, or requires coding, you will eventually find it a hassle to test it. So, it is important to choose a meter which you are comfortable with both design and technology. For example, some meters have a large display, no button, no coding or added features such as a color indicator (ColorSure Technology) to indicate where your blood glucose levels are (high, normal or low), making it easier to know whether you are within the range or its time to act.

5) Connectivity

Advancement in technology has evolved blood glucose meters to become tech-savvy where you can conveniently link the meter to the mobile app via Bluetooth connection. Such connection allows users to easily store, analyze and share the readings with family members and healthcare professionals. Besides, certain mobile apps do provide a platform for communication between users and healthcare professionals in managing diabetes as well.

 6) Cost 

Diabetes can be expensive to manage. It is important to note that the purchase of a blood glucose meter is a one-time cost, but test strips need to be purchased regularly if you are checking frequently throughout the day. Do take note that a specific meter would require a specific test strip to use, so check on the prices of both meter and test strips before making any decision.

7) Advancement in the glucose monitoring system 

Aside from traditional blood glucose meters, there is the latest option of continuous glucose monitors (CGM) which reduces the need for painful finger pricks and test strips. CGM utilizes a sensor placed underneath your skin to track glucose levels in your interstitial fluid continuously throughout the day. The sensor will then wirelessly transfer the information to the receiver meter, which displays the information on the current glucose reading. However, the cost could be expensive. The sensor needs to be replaced every 2 weeks (depending on the brand). You might need to confirm the blood sugar reading with a traditional meter for calibration purposes and when symptoms don’t match the reading.

Bottomline: Look Out For Features You Need

There are various types of glucose meters on the market to help people accurately check their blood glucose and manage diabetes effectively. While it seems like a daunting task to check regularly, you need to understand your diabetes condition to stay healthy and stay away from unwanted complications. So it’s important to choose a meter that you are comfortable with and one which has features that meet your needs.

If you have further inquiries about the blood glucose meter you may consult our pharmacist at any CARiNG Pharmacy stores or message us on our Facebook page. Until then, stay safe and healthy everyone!

Check Out Our Other Diabetes Write-Ups:

1. Diabetes & Ramadan: What to do and when to stop
2. Simple health tips to overcome diabetes before it’s too late
3. Low Sugar Levels: How Low Can You Go? 
4. The Sweet Danger: guard against high sugar levels
5. High Blood Sugar Levels In The Morning: dawn phenomenon & somogyi effect explained
6. Benefits of Self Monitoring Blood Glucose & How Frequent To Test