Live Blog: Blood Glucose

Today's didactic was on blood glucose monitoring in Type II diabetes presented by Jennifer Allen, PharmD here at Healthcare Associates.

What it Does:

• Helps patients to assess diet and exercise habits
• Guides changes in medication therapy
• Provides tool to confirm signs and symptoms of hypo/hyperglycemia

When to Start Using:

• Right at diagnosis
• Helpful guide for those with blood sugar little high
• When initiating meds that potentially cause hypoglycemia
• Any symptoms supported with hypoglycemia

Goals of Therapy:

• Educate patients on what the numbers mean
• Aim for fasting blood sugar of 70-130
• 2 hours after meals >180
• Goals should be individualized 
• Duration of disease
• Life expectancy
• Co-morbidities
• Hypoglycemia unawareness

When to Test:

• With oral meds only: once a day
• Start with checking fasting sugar and getting that down to goal
• Next work on getting post-prandial readings down
• With basal insulin +/- oral meds:
• Min once daily before breakfast
• Occasional 2 hr post-prandial readings helpful
• Use a blood glucose log to track progress

Technique:

• Wash hands
• Insert new test strip and insert lancet into device
• Press lancing device firmly to side of finger
• Press actuation button to fire needle
• Apply blood sample to tip to test strip
• Await result and log numbers

Patient Counseling Points:

• Take blood glucose more regularly
• Drink water
• Consult your doctor on symptoms
• Make sure test strips are insured
• Recommended machines: 
• Onetouch Ultra 2
• Freestyle Freedom Lite (portable)