Many people with diabetes will encounter doubts in daily blood sugar monitoring: I have two blood glucose meters, why are the results different each time? I used the same finger to measure three times, why did three results appear...Similarly There are too many examples, and Tang Xiaonuo explains them over and over again, but there is still a steady stream of sugar friends who have questions about this.
Based on this, Xiaonuo gave some answers to the different blood sugar values measured by blood glucose meters, mainly including: doubts about blood glucose meters, test paper problems, operating misunderstandings, external factors, etc., hoping to help people with diabetes. Below, we analyze them one by one for people with diabetes.
1. Is there something wrong with the blood glucose meter?
When the blood glucose measurement values of imported blood glucose meters and domestic blood glucose meters are different or have a large difference, the first reaction of many people with diabetes is: the domestic blood glucose meters are inaccurate, and there is something wrong with the domestic blood glucose meters! At this time, sugar friends, don’t panic, listen to Xiaonuo explain it to you one by one. First of all, all household blood glucose meters on the market comply with the requirements of the "Management and Clinical Operation Specifications for Portable Blood Glucose Monitors in Medical Institutions (Trial)" issued by the General Office of the Ministry of Health.
Its content clearly stipulates that the error between the results of blood glucose meter testing and laboratory reference method testing should meet the following conditions:
1. When the blood glucose concentration is <4.2mmol/L, at least 95% of the test result errors are within the range of ±0.83mmol/L;
2. When the blood sugar concentration is ≥4.2mmol/L, at least 95% of the test results have an error within ±20%; as a diabetes lover, you want to know whether the blood sugar values measured by your multiple home blood glucose meters are accurate. , be sure to bring your own blood glucose meter to compare with the hospital’s biochemistry. When the nurse draws venous blood, we can use our own blood glucose meter to measure the fingertip blood and compare the two numbers.
For example: Uncle Wang, a diabetes patient, took two blood glucose meters to the hospital for biochemical comparison. The hospital's venous blood test showed that the fasting blood sugar was 5.2mmol/L. At the same time, the fingertip blood of one blood glucose meter was 4.2mmol/L, and the fingertip blood of the other was 4.2mmol/L. The fingertip blood on the blood glucose meter was 6.0mmol/L.
So are these two home blood glucose meters accurate?
Now, Xiaonuo will provide sugar lovers with a calculation of the blood sugar value range to see if it is really a problem with the blood glucose meter: ±20% = (fingertip blood sugar value - venous blood sugar value) / venous blood sugar value. From this, we It can be seen that the fasting blood sugar range of the home blood glucose meter of Mr. Wang, a sugar lover, is 4.16~6.24mmol/L. Therefore, the values of both blood glucose meters comply with national standards.
Some people with diabetes think that after comparing the home blood glucose meter with the hospital venous blood, everything will be worry-free. In fact, there is a misunderstanding in this idea. When using the blood glucose meter, in addition to comparing it with the hospital's biochemistry, the blood glucose meter also needs to be regularly calibrated and debugged.
1. Why does the blood glucose meter need to be cleaned regularly? Dust, fiber and other debris in the environment will inevitably contaminate the blood glucose meter. If people with diabetes do not pay attention to maintenance in daily life, it will also cause deviations in blood sugar levels. Therefore, patients with diabetes should regularly use cotton swabs dipped in water to gently wipe the area around the blood glucose meter test. Never use organic solvents such as alcohol.
2. Why does the blood glucose meter need to be calibrated regularly? Some blood glucose meters are regularly calibrated. If they are not calibrated regularly, the values measured by the blood glucose meter will deviate. Therefore, according to regulations, blood glucose meters usually need to be calibrated every two months, such as:
a. Before first use;
b. Every time you use newly purchased test strips;
c. When doubting the measurement results;
d. When the blood glucose meter collides. In addition, some blood glucose meters require you to enter a debugging code every time you change the test strip. If you are older and inconvenient to operate, Xiaohu recommends that you buy a debugging-free blood glucose meter. For example: the test strips of Sugar Nurse’s mobile blood glucose meter use dehydrogenase technology, which eliminates the need for patients with diabetes to enter a debugging code every time they purchase test strips, which solves the difficulties of patients with diabetes to a large extent. 2. Has the test paper gone bad? We talked about the blood glucose meter earlier, now let’s follow Xiaonuo to carefully analyze the problem of the test strips! Test strips are an old partner of blood glucose meters. They are susceptible to deterioration due to temperature, humidity, light, chemicals and air oxidation, and they also need maintenance. Once the test paper deteriorates, it will seriously affect the test results. Therefore, sugar lovers should pay attention to some knowledge about saving and using test strips!
How do people with diabetes store and use test strips?
a. When purchasing test strips, sugar lovers should check the expiration date on the test strip packaging to see whether the test strip is within the expiration date. Do not use expired test strips to avoid affecting the test results.
b. Place the test paper in a dry and cool place away from moisture and light.
c. The test paper should not be left in the air for longer than 3 minutes. When testing, the blood collection needle must be installed first and then the test paper package is opened to shorten the time the test paper is exposed to the air.
d. If the test paper is bottled, it needs to be used within 3 months after opening the bottle cap. If the bottle is opened for more than 3 months, the test paper cannot be used again. For those with diabetes who take fewer measurements, it is best to use individually packaged test strips.
Diabetes lovers can eliminate the impact of home blood glucose meters and test strips on blood sugar levels by following Xiaonuo's study! But the key point is below. Next, Xiaonuo will take everyone to understand the importance of standardized operation on blood sugar.
3. Is the operation of measuring blood sugar standardized?
Many people with diabetes often find that when they eat the same food, their blood sugar levels measured at the same time have very different values. Why is this? After Xiao Nuo's inquiry, it was discovered that the method used by people with diabetes to measure blood sugar was not appropriate. According to relevant data, more than 90% of the reasons for inaccurate blood sugar values come from irregular operations by diabetics. It can be seen that the correct measurement method can improve the accuracy of blood sugar values. How to carry out standardized measurements and reduce blood sugar errors?
Now, please invite sugar friends to study with Xiaohu.
1. Increase blood volume in fingertips:
a. Drop your arms and let the blood flow to your fingertips.
b. Wash your hands with warm water, warm your fingers, rub your fingers, etc. to increase the blood volume in your fingers.
2. Standardize blood collection steps:
a. Install the needle on the blood collection pen in advance, and adjust the scale on the blood collection pen according to the thickness of the individual's skin. Generally, you only need to adjust the scale to 2.5-3 levels.
b. Use alcohol cotton pads to disinfect your fingers.
c. Use your thumb to push from the metacarpal joint to the fingertip several times, and then use a blood collection pen to prick the skin on the fingertip side of a single finger.
d. Under normal circumstances, the blood after blood collection will form droplets, and there is no need to squeeze it with hands.
e. Automatically suck the blood from your finger through the blood-sucking port in the middle of the top of the test paper, and the blood-sucking slot needs to fill 3 cells at a time. If the blood intake is insufficient or blood is added twice, the blood sugar level will be low.
For example: the well-known Sugar Nurse blood glucose meter uses a siphon-type automatic blood sucking method. When sucking blood, the blood sucking port of the test paper should not be close to your finger. You only need to touch the blood droplet lightly, and the blood will be sucked in automatically. At this time, Xiaonuo will ask the sugar lover, have you absorbed all the content mentioned above?
Finally, we have to talk about the impact of external factors on blood sugar levels.
4. Are external factors at play? Can external factors also affect blood sugar?
OK! If there are errors in measurement time or emotional instability, blood sugar fluctuations will occur, causing people with diabetes to have a wrong understanding of blood sugar values. How to eliminate the influence of external factors on blood sugar levels?
1. Clarify the measurement time of blood sugar. Many people with diabetes are confused about the measurement of fasting blood sugar and 2-hour postprandial blood sugar. Some people with diabetes will only measure fasting blood sugar after getting up early in the morning to do housework. Although it is fasting blood sugar at this time, it has been affected by the outside world and cannot accurately reflect the status of fasting blood sugar. For 2-hour post-meal blood sugar, many people with diabetes will take the test after eating. The time of the last mouthful of rice is used as the recording time of 2 hours after the meal, which is also wrong in understanding. The correct approach is: measure fasting blood sugar immediately after getting up in the morning. 2-hour postprandial blood sugar is the blood sugar measured 2 hours after the first bite of the meal.
2. Maintaining a stable emotional state is also a factor that affects blood sugar. Some people with diabetes reported: I eat the same breakfast every day, but the blood sugar values measured by the same batch of test strips are very different. Is there a problem with the test strips? After careful questioning by Xiaohu, it turned out that the patient with diabetes lost his temper because of family matters that morning, which made him upset and irritable, causing blood sugar fluctuations. Therefore, people with diabetes must maintain emotional stability and a calm mind before measuring blood sugar.
Therefore, when patients with diabetes experience unstable blood sugar values, they must analyze the reasons from various aspects, and never just stick to the blood glucose meter and blood glucose test strips. In addition, home blood glucose meters reflect a trend of blood sugar. For example, there is no difference between 3.6mmol/L and 4.2mmol/L, because no matter which blood sugar value, we are already in the low blood sugar range. In addition, reasonable monitoring of blood sugar can help us understand the rules of diet, exercise and medication. Then, we can also show the blood sugar monitoring data to doctors to help us better treat and manage diabetes.
