Continuous Blood Glucose Monitoring For Diabetes

Continuous blood glucose monitoring is an essential process taken in a diabetic patient's life. Accurate knowing of glucose concentration level is the main purpose behind continuous blood glucose monitoring. For proper care, a diabetic patient should perform blood test at least once per day. But in the process of continuous blood glucose monitoring, the glucose level will be continuously monitored by an electronic device. By recognizing the amount of blood glucose level on a continuous basis, a diabetic patient can plan his diet accordingly.

Now we will come to the older and basic test process for glucose monitoring. This testing is usually done by prinking the fingertip of the patient and taking the drop of blood on a chemically active disposable test strip. The test strip is then inserted to a glucometer from which we will know the blood sugar level value. But research says that this method of determining blood sugar level will not be accurate since there is non uniform body blood flow. If the testing is done at places like arms and legs, the test results won't be accurate. Accuracy will also depend upon parameters like type of test strips, quality of sugar monitors used and eye vision of patient. There comes the advantage and importance of using continuous blood glucose monitoring.

A continuous blood glucose monitor shows the rise and fall of glucose level continuously. Electronic sensor, link to the sensor and monitor are the three vital parts of a continuous sugar monitor. Let's see the working of a continuous glucose monitoring. A sensor with sticky patch, attached to the patient's body will detect the glucose level and sends data to the monitor. Monitor will be either carried in a bag or will be attached to the patient's body. Monitor will then displays the latest glucose test results which will continue in each few minutes.

Continuous sugar monitor or CGM should also be tested and calibrated for its accuracy by comparing the test results with finger strip blood glucose test results. Senzime and FreeStyle Navigator are examples of continuous sugar monitoring products. A continuous blood glucose monitors identifies the glucose level in interstitial fluid whose glucose value will be lesser than the blood glucose level. Depending on data received from sensor, insulin pump injects the correct proportion of insulin to the patient's body.

By analyzing the glucose level acquired by test result, a diabetic patient can plan and reorder his lifestyle. Frequency of testing depends on many factors like type of diabetes, treatments etc. Continuous glucose monitoring helps in determining proper insulin dosage and diet. Proper rearrangements can be done on insulin dosage, diet and exercise on the basis of this test result. It also shows us the body's response to these medications. Some of the continuous sugar monitors is provided with alarms for giving alerts to the patients in condition of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. These alarm instructions helps diabetic patients in taking necessary precautions for maintaining the glucose level. Patients can easily self manage the glucose level by referring sugar monitor. Thus continuous blood glucose monitoring helps in providing a complete control over the health there by preventing the chance of risk due to risen and fallen glucose level.

By: Dr Andrew Napier

Related Post