What is a blood glucose meter?

It's a portable, battery-powered device about the size of a pager that measures your glucose level quickly - usually in a minute or less. By testing your blood glucose at home, you can often reduce the number of visits to your doctor. Patients prick their fingers with a lancet, and then place a small blood sample on a test strip, which is then inserted into the monitoring device. You do not need a prescription to buy a blood glucose meter. Most cost $50 to $100 and weigh less than a pound. The major cost of glucose monitoring is for the purchase of test strips.

Many types of monitors can measure your blood glucose. Some are easier to use than others, either because they require a smaller drop of blood or have fewer operating steps. Others have data ports that allow you to interface with diabetes management software. And some allow you to test for substances other than glucose, such as ketones, glycated protein and cholesterol.

Contact your health care provider before choosing a model, and check if your health insurance covers the cost of the device and testing supplies. You'll also need to test the monitor's accuracy at least once a month, or according to the manufacturer's directions.

Why is glucose monitoring important?

Frequent testing of your blood glucose is critical to controlling your diabetes. The Diabetes Control and Complication Trial (DCCT), a 10-year study done by the National Institutes of Health, found that people who tested their blood glucose frequently each day, in order to inject the proper dose of insulin to achieve tight control of blood glucose, lowered their risk of developing eye, kidney and nerve complications. Your doctor will recommend the number of times a day to check your blood glucose. Initially, you may need to check it often. Once your blood sugar stabilizes, you may not need to check it as often.

What minimally invasive monitoring devices are available?

Traditional monitoring methods that require a blood sample can cause soreness in the fingers and deter people with diabetes from checking their glucose levels as often as they should. New minimally or noninvasive monitoring products approved by The Food and Drug Administration include:

• The Continuous Glucose Monitoring System senses glucose levels in tissue instead of blood via a needle inserted into the skin of the abdomen. This external sensor measures glucose levels every five minutes for up to 72 hours. The data is stored in the monitor and is downloaded to a computer for evaluation by a physician. The device supplements, not replaces, finger stick blood glucose measurements.


• A wrist-worn device that uses low-level electrical currents to extract fluids through the skin for glucose measurements. The device makes three readings every hour for 12 hours, and sounds an alarm if a person's glucose reaches dangerous levels. It is available by prescription only for people ages 18 and older, and is not intended to replace finger stick monitoring of blood glucose.


• A portable, battery-powered laser that pricks the skin for a blood sample. It is available by prescription only, costs $1,000 and weighs less than a pound.