Testing for blood sugar levels
Testing of blood sugar is not difficult. There are many portable kits available today for home use. To test the blood sugar levels one needs a few items including a blood sugar monitor, test strips, a lancet and alcohol swabs. The majority of blood sugar monitors available today are light weight and portable.
The majority of these monitors have varied storage facilities like tracking time, date of each test and can also store your data. Some of the current devices also come with zip drives so that the information can be transferred to your PC.
Monitoring of blood sugar unfortunately involves a pin prick on your finger tip with a special lancet. Today there are a variety of lancet devices which will allow you to adjust the depth of the prick. Those with thick skin need deeper penetration. It does sound painful but eventually one gets used to it.
At Medexsupply one can obtain a wide range of diabetic supplies including blood glucose monitors, kits, lancets, infusion sets, test strips and glucose tablets.
Showing posts with label type 1 diabetes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label type 1 diabetes. Show all posts
Thursday, February 12, 2009
When to test blood sugar levels? Part 1
The testing for blood sugar levels is more rigorous just after the diagnosis of diabetes. Once the diagnosis of diabetes has been established, the measurement of blood sugars does depend on the type of diabetes and treatment.
Individuals who have type 1 diabetes often need to measure the levels anywhere from 3-6 times a day, at least before and after each meal.
Individuals with diabetes who exercise also need to monitor their sugars before and after exercise and just before going to sleep.
Individuals with type 1 diabetes who are ill or have a change in their routine (like traveling), stress or have been diagnosed with other medical disorder may need more frequent monitoring of blood sugar levels.
Individuals with Type 2 diabetes generally require less frequent glucose monitoring. Most of these individuals initially monitor the blood glucose 1-2times day if they are on any type of diabetic medications.
Individual who are managing their type 2 diabetes with diet and exercise alone need to monitor their sugars less often.
Individuals who have type 1 diabetes often need to measure the levels anywhere from 3-6 times a day, at least before and after each meal.
Individuals with diabetes who exercise also need to monitor their sugars before and after exercise and just before going to sleep.
Individuals with type 1 diabetes who are ill or have a change in their routine (like traveling), stress or have been diagnosed with other medical disorder may need more frequent monitoring of blood sugar levels.
Individuals with Type 2 diabetes generally require less frequent glucose monitoring. Most of these individuals initially monitor the blood glucose 1-2times day if they are on any type of diabetic medications.
Individual who are managing their type 2 diabetes with diet and exercise alone need to monitor their sugars less often.
Diabetes 101
Diabetes is the disorder of the present century. Almost every race and ethic group is affected by it. This chronic disease has been steadily growing in numbers and is posing serious challenges to our health care system. Among all the ethnic groups in North America, Diabetes is more severe and difficult to control in blacks, Latinos and Asians. The number of Americans who have diabetes is close to 7-9 million which is 4 times the number two decades ago. Infact it is estimated that there are close to a million more individuals who have the disorder but do not know about it. The longer these individuals have a delayed diagnosis, the greater are the chances that they will already have developed irreversible complications of the disease.
Type 2 diabetes
Diabetes mellitus is a disorder characterized by high levels of blood glucose. The major problem with type 2 diabetes is that the hormone insulin is either low or not secreted or has problems working at the cellular levels. Insulin is responsible for lowering the blood glucose. When the blood glucose levels stay elevated for prolonged periods, one can develop serious complications including blindness, kidney failure, heart disease and blockage of blood supply to the legs.
The majority of Americans develop type 2 diabetes in their middle ages. This form of diabetes develops because for some unknown reason the body fails to either make enough insulin or fails to secrete insulin. Sometimes the insulin levels are adequate but fail to work. The major treatment of type 2 diabetes is with the use of drugs, diet and/or exercise. These drugs work in a number of ways. Some act to break down the excess sugar, other drugs prevent excess glucose from getting into the body and other drugs stimulate the release of insulin from the pancreas. In many obese individuals, the diabetic drugs fail to work and insulin is required.
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is also common and affects a significant number of children. In type 1 diabetes, the insulin is never made in the pancreas and the individual presents with diabetes as a child. In most cases, the diabetes will be evident during school age. One needs life long insulin to treat this form of diabetes.
For information on equipment and supplies for diabetes, please visit our website at www.medexsupply.com
Type 2 diabetes
Diabetes mellitus is a disorder characterized by high levels of blood glucose. The major problem with type 2 diabetes is that the hormone insulin is either low or not secreted or has problems working at the cellular levels. Insulin is responsible for lowering the blood glucose. When the blood glucose levels stay elevated for prolonged periods, one can develop serious complications including blindness, kidney failure, heart disease and blockage of blood supply to the legs.
The majority of Americans develop type 2 diabetes in their middle ages. This form of diabetes develops because for some unknown reason the body fails to either make enough insulin or fails to secrete insulin. Sometimes the insulin levels are adequate but fail to work. The major treatment of type 2 diabetes is with the use of drugs, diet and/or exercise. These drugs work in a number of ways. Some act to break down the excess sugar, other drugs prevent excess glucose from getting into the body and other drugs stimulate the release of insulin from the pancreas. In many obese individuals, the diabetic drugs fail to work and insulin is required.
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is also common and affects a significant number of children. In type 1 diabetes, the insulin is never made in the pancreas and the individual presents with diabetes as a child. In most cases, the diabetes will be evident during school age. One needs life long insulin to treat this form of diabetes.
For information on equipment and supplies for diabetes, please visit our website at www.medexsupply.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)