How to Read My Glucose Meter Results

More than 30 million—virtually one in every 10—Americans have diabetes. To assist manage their condition, many people with diabetes use a minor, portable glucose meter to measure the amount of saccharide (glucose) in their blood. After pricking the skin with a abrupt lancet (small-scale needle), i places a drib of claret on a test strip inserted in the glucose meter. The glucose meter then displays the blood sugar level on the screen. People with low or high blood sugar readings need to make quick handling decisions. If the blood sugar reading is low, the person needs to eat or drinkable a sugary nutrient or drink, like candy, glucose tablets, or orangish juice. This helps raise the corporeality of carbohydrate in the blood to normal limits. If the reading is high, the person may need to have more than insulin. The extra insulin helps lower the amount of sugar in the blood. If the blood sugar reading is normal, no additional nutrient or medicine is needed. Unfortunately, mistakes take been made when making these handling decisions due to the mode the claret sugar results are displayed on some glucose meter screens.

For example, the blood carbohydrate reading on the screen of an ACCU-CHEK Inform II glucose meter has been repeatedly misinterpreted when it was displayed as an unfamiliar abbreviation.ane People were expecting a numerical blood sugar value to appear on the results screen (Figure 1). But instead, the abridgement "RR LO" (Figure two) or "CR LO" appeared on the results screen. "RR LO" is an abbreviation for "reportable range, low limit," which means the claret sugar is below normal. "CR LO" is an abbreviation for "critical range, low limit," which means the blood sugar is critically below normal. When these abbreviations appear, the correct treatment action is to eat or drink a sugary food or beverage to raise the corporeality of saccharide in the blood because information technology is too low.

Two recent mistakes happened when "RR LO" appeared on the results screen, and the abbreviation was mistakenly thought to hateful the blood saccharide was high, not low.1 Below the abridgement is an alarm code, "Due west-510" (Figure 2). Considering the alert lawmaking includes a number, the number "510" was mistaken as a very high claret sugar value. Both people took more insulin instead of eating or drinking a sugary food or drinkable. The insulin lowered the blood sugar further to dangerously low levels. Sadly, 1 person died because of the error.

Mistakes are also possible when the abbreviations "RR Hi" and "CR HI" appear on the glucose meter screen.1 "RR How-do-you-do" is an abbreviation for "reportable range, high limit," which means the claret sugar is above normal. "CR Hi" is abbreviation for "critical range, high limit," which ways the blood sugar is critically to a higher place normal.

Furthermore, it is not just consumers who tin can exist dislocated by how data is displayed on the glucose meter's results screen. When healthcare providers at ii different Veterans Affairs medical centers viewed these codes during equipment testing, 1 in 10 misunderstood the abbreviation "RR LO." As a result, they did not choose the correct treatment decision, which was to give the pretend patient a sugary nutrient or beverage to raise the low blood sugar. In fact, almost one-half of the healthcare providers who misinterpreted the "RR LO" abbreviation gave the pretend patient additional insulin. None of the healthcare providers fabricated a mistake when the glucose meter displayed the numerical blood sugar value--for example, 32 mg/dL--instead of an abbreviation.

Hither's what you lot tin can do: If you utilise a glucose meter to test your claret sugar, learn how to use it so you fully understand all the possible claret sugar results that may appear on the screen. Read the pedagogy manual, paying detail attending to the pregnant of whatsoever abbreviations or codes on the results screen. Companies that brand glucose meters often have written instructions, quick reference guides, online tools, oft asked questions, and client care centers that tin can be contacted 24/seven for questions. Your local pharmacist can too help you sympathize how to utilise the glucose meter and interpret the results. If you switch to a different glucose meter, go preparation to use the new meter, every bit information technology may present the blood sugar results differently than your previous glucose meter.

Besides, some glucose meters, including the ACCU-CHECK Inform Ii, can be set up to brandish only the numerical blood carbohydrate results, without using disruptive abbreviations. Ask the company's customer intendance eye if this is an option and how to prepare your meter this way.

If you are unsure of the results on the glucose meter screen, phone call your chemist or the company customer care center for aid. But first consume or drink a sugary food or beverage earlier you call if you believe the results mean your blood sugar is low, especially if y'all have whatever of the post-obit symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia):

• Hunger
• Feeling shaky
• Fast heartbeat
• Lightheadedness
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Sweating
• Headache
• Irritability

Depression blood sugar can affect your ability to think and react apace, then it is important to consume or drink a sugary food or beverage before making the call. Always talk to your physician if low or loftier claret sugars are a problem for you lot.

Reference

         1) Estock JL, Pham Information technology, Curinga HK, et al. Reducing treatment errors through indicate-of-care glucometer configuration. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf. 2018;000:1-12. [Epub ahead of print]. Available at: www.ismp.org/ext/85

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Source: https://consumermedsafety.org/medication-safety-articles/item/844-understanding-the-results-on-your-blood-glucose-meter-screen

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