Blood glucose meters allow people with diabetes to control their blood sugar levels. There are different kinds.

A blood glucose meter or glucometer is a small device that measures blood sugar (blood glucose level). This self-control of blood sugar is essential to manage treatment, especially insulin treatment. It is then the diabetic person who measures their blood sugar level themselves. Healthcare professionals can also use a glucometer to measure the level of glucose in the blood.

Composition

A blood glucose meter with a prick usually consists of a small electronic box with a display, an insertion slot for the strips. Accessories are needed:

• a lancing device;
• lancets;
• strips to connect to the device.

These capillary blood glucose meters can be connected or unconnected.

Non-invasive (no needles) blood glucose meters consist of a sensor placed on the skin or under the skin and a reader used to scan the sensor and display the measured blood glucose data.

The blood glucose meter or glucometer is used to display the blood sugar level from a drop of blood applied to a strip and inserted into a meter. A blood glucose self-check using a blood glucose meter makes it possible to adapt the insulin treatment from day to day according to meals, physical activity or other events that may occur such as an infection for example.

Needle-free blood glucose meter

Since 2016, there are on the market blood glucose meters without needle, with sensor. The principle ? Self-monitoring of glucose in interstitial fluid in people with diabetes, with a sensor placed on or under the skin.

Public concerned or at risk

Blood glucose meters or glucometers are intended for healthcare professionals and people with diabetes themselves, especially those who are being treated with insulin, to monitor their blood glucose level.

The stages of operation

In case of capillary blood glucose measurement, after washing the hands, it is a question of using the lancing device on the side of the finger to obtain a drop of blood. This is then sucked by the strip placed in the reader which has been switched on beforehand. Within seconds the meter displays the glucose level.

When to use it?

The timing and frequency of self-monitoring a with a conventional blood glucose meter are determined depending on the type of diabetes, the treatment prescribed, the risk of hypoglycemia. For example, people treated with 4 or more injections of insulin per day or with an insulin pump should take at least 4 blood glucose tests per day (before meals, at bedtime and in some circumstances, 2 hours after meals and in any other situation presenting a risk of hypoglycaemia). With a blood glucose meter with sensor.

Precautions to take

• Before using a blood glucose meter, wash your hands with warm water and soap and dry them well;
• massage the finger so that the blood can circulate well;
• apply enough blood to the test strip;
• discard the used needle and test strip.

Precautions to be taken with a sensor-based blood glucose meter

Before fitting the sensor, the area on which this sensor will be placed should be cleaned with an alcohol wipe.

The sensor should not be placed in contact with water for more than 30 minutes per day.

The different models

There are different models of blood glucose meter:

• the classic blood glucose meter with strips;
• the automatic blood glucose meter reader without a test strip (electrode meter): the blood droplet taken is placed on the collection area and not on a test strip;
• the blood glucose meter with sensor (without lancing device);
• the connected blood glucose meter (with a Bluetooth connection or a USB socket), the sampling can be done with a lancing device or a sensor.

How to choose ?

Choose a blood glucose meter with an LCD screen that makes it easy to read the data.

For a good follow-up and an optimal monitoring of the disease, it may be advantageous to favor blood glucose monitoring devices with a high memory capacity. Connected glucometers allow you to store data on your smartphone.

If you don’t want to have the stress of regular autopicker, sensor models are the right solution.