Diabetes Testing
If you are Diabetic then knowing what your blood glucose levels are, enables you to tailor your drug treatment or lifestyle to keep blood glucose in the optimum range (especially if you are injecting insulin). If the blood glucose levels are high consistently then your treatment is not working, and you risk suffering the long term damage to organs, impaired vision, cardiovascular disease and nerve damage. Conversely having a very low blood glucose (a "hypo") can lead to coma or death.
Normally blood glucose levels are tested, before meals and/or bedtime, by drawing a small sample of blood and placing it on a test strip inserted into a blood glucose monitor. This gives you your blood glucose level at that precise moment. Don't rely only on the way you feel, as you can feel fine even if the blood glucose level is too high. You should test more often when you are ill or under stress, or after a medication change.
In diabetics blood glucoses levels seem to have more peaks and troughs - dropping with exercise, rising after a meal, especially rising to higher levels after sugary or carbohydrate type foods, meaning blood glucose levels do not always give a direct correlation with the diabetic's control and disease prognosis. A "Hypo" is when blood glucose levels dip too low - signs are Headache, Hunger, Shaking, Feeling Faint, Dizziness, Sweating and Dry Mouth. It is treated with a quick acting sugar like dextrose tablets or a sugary (not diet) soft drink.
If you are experiencing some of the symptoms of diabetes, then you may wish to have a random blood glucose reading.
How we test
All branches can test your blood glucose levels.
By pricking the finger with a small sterile lancet, we place a small amount of blood on a test strip inserted in a blood glucose meter. After a few seconds the result will be displayed on the screen which will be your blood glucose level at that moment. We will discuss the result with you.
Long Term Blood Glucose Levels or HbA1c
Another test your doctor can order is a measure of your average long term blood glucose levels or the HbA1c test.
Haemoglobin is the red stuff in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body, glucose also attaches itself permanently to Haemoglobin making a 'glycosylated haemoglobin', called haemoglobin A1c or HbA1c for short. The more glucose in the blood, the more HbA1c there will be in the blood over time.
As red blood cells have a life of about 3 months before being destroyed and excreted, the percentage of HbA1c gives an indication or history of the average blood glucose levels over the last three months, unlike the immediateness of the blood glucose level.
It is the best test to tell if a person's blood sugar is under control on a long term basis, there is a direct correlation between HbA1c levels and risk of diabetic complications. Depending on your results your doctor may change your medication or dosing or lifestyle advice. As diabetes is a progressive disease HbA1c will rise over the years, so it is very important to follow the advice of your doctor/nurse to keep it as low as possible.
Keeping your HbA1c levels at that recommended by your doctor or nurse for as long as possible is one of the main aims of treatment in the management of diabetes. The recommended level that your doctor advises (probably about 6.5%) should be maintained (or as close as possible) for as long as possible to avoid future diabetic complications.
Blood glucose finger prick tests should still be done on a regular basis, as they give an indication of blood glucose levels at that moment and allow you to tailor your treatment on a day to day basis, eg pre or post exercise, during illness or holidays etc.
How you can help keep HbA1c at recommended levels
- Avoid foods high in sugar and salt
- Exercise regularly - 30 minutes 3 to 4 times a week
- Take your medication as advised
- Get your HbA1c level checked regularly so you know if what you are doing is working (or not)
- Talk to your doctor/nurse about reducing your HbA1c if it is too high
