Interní Med. 2013; 15(6-7): 206-209

Self-monitoring at blood glucose and accuracy at blood glucose meters

doc.MUDr.Martin Prázný, CSc., Ph.D.

3. interní klinika 1. LF UK a VFN, Praha

Self-monitoring of blood glucose is an essential component of a safe diabetes treatment and helps patients with diabetes to manage

their diabetes efficiently. It also provides valuable data about the diabetes control for both patients and healthcare professionals.

Analysis of glucose profiles can support decision making and choosing appropriate treatment strategies. Personal blood glucose meters

opened a way for reaching and keeping good diabetes control effectively and for cutting down the risk of late diabetes complications.

In patients with type 1 diabetes, the precision of blood glucose meters is critical. These patients are usually very sensitive to insulin and

need precise insuling dosing that is based on accurate glucose measurements. Inaccurate blood glucose readings may lead to insuling

overdosing, resulting in hypoglycemia, or insufficient insulin dosing, which in turn causes hyperglycemia and increases the risk of late

diabetes complications. A debate emerged recently on the accuracy of blood glucose meters and the procedures leading to the approval

of medical devices for use in European Union. This topic is now frequently discussed and researched. Papers comparing many different

meters were published and statement has been issued also by European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD). The aim of this

paper is to contribute to the discussion about the precision of blood glucose meters in Czech Republic.

Keywords: self-monitoring of blood glucose, blood glucose meters, accuracy of measurement, ISO 15197

Published: July 15, 2013  Show citation