Is Home Testing of Blood Sugar Levels Really Reliable?
To achieve good blood sugar control, you must periodically check your blood glucose levels to see how you are doing. Usually every type 2 diabetic is encouraged to take blood glucose readings at home at intervals ranging from once a week to several times a day, especially when changing diet or medication. The doctor who treats your diabetes should recommend a blood glucose testing schedule for you and ask to see your results every time you visit him. Tens of millions of diabetics spend tens of billions of dollars every year for expensive test strips and glucometers. But is home testing or self testing of blood glucose levels really reliable? A 2008 test by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) suggests that glucometers are good for telling you whether your blood sugar levels are going up or down, but not very reliable for determining absolute blood sugar values. Scientists at the CDC tested five commonly used glucometers: MediSense Precision Xtra, Ascencia Dex, Prestige Smart System
