Continuous Glucose Monitors
People that have been diagnosed with either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes need to test the amount of glucose, or sugar, in their blood on a regular basis. This is an extremely vital role in managing the symptoms of diabetes.
The blood glucose test is performed simply. First the patient pierces their skin to draw blood. This is typically done on a finger, however, advancements have been made for blood glucose monitors, so patients can test on alternate sites such as their palms and forearms. The patient then applies the blood to a disposable test strip. The meter then determines the amount of glucose in the patients blood, and that number is then shown on a digital display.
Continuous glucose monitors determine glucose levels in the blood every few minutes. A typical continuous glucose monitor consists of a disposable sensor. This is placed under the skin and replaced every few days. There is also a link from the sensor to the transmitter and an electronic receiver that digitally displays glucose levels.
There are some disadvantages to using a continuous glucose monitor instead of a blood glucose meter. In order to calibrate the system, the patient needs to use a standard blood glucose measurement, in which case the patient still needs to pierce the skin and draw blood. This usually has to be done twice a day. If the readings on the continuous glucose monitor show that the patient is experiencing hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia, the patient needs to verify the information by doing a traditional finger stick.
Also, the glucose levels from where the continuous glucose monitor gets the reading from lags behind the actual blood glucose levels. The lag time is typically about 5 minutes, but there are some monitors that lag as far behind as 10 or 15 minutes. This is not a big deal when the patient’s levels are consistent; however, this is a serious issue if a patient is experiencing blood sugar levels that are too high or too low.
There are many advantages to using a continuous glucose monitor. One of the benefits is that the patient can clearly see how their levels respond to insulin, food, and other factors. This information can then be used to determine correct insulin doses depending on what activity the patient is involved in. Another way that the continuous glucose monitor is useful for figuring insulin dosing is that the patient’s levels are being monitored during times when the levels are typically not being checked. An example of these times is when the patient is sleeping.
Continuous glucose monitors can be set up with an alarm. This alarm will go off if the patient becomes either hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic. This can alert patients to start taking action right away, even if they do not feel the effects of a condition.
Continuous glucose monitors work sort of like conventional blood glucose meters, but they measure levels of sugar in the blood on a more consistent basis. There are many benefits to using this system to include being able to take action quickly if the patients blood glucose levels are too high or too low. There are a few drawbacks, but in the long run, the more carefully the patient is monitored, the better.
Detail Information about electronic medical record is available on our EMR Website, Plz. Visit drsmart.com
Processing your request, Please wait....
