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Checking Your Blood Sugar Level

By Suparna Chakaraborthy

Checking Blood Sugar
What are the targets that we need to achieve?

Tests Good control Acceptable control Needs action
HbA1c 7-8% >8%
Fasting glucose 80 – 110 110-140 > 140
PP glucose 160-200 >200

Goals are individualized, based on:
Age
Comorbid conditions
Hypoglycemia unawareness

Is monitoring sugar for pregnant people with diabetes any different?

Yes, in pregnancy we want a tighter sugar control, hence much more frequent monitoring and tighter targets. Please refer to the pregnancy section of this booklet.

Is urine sugar checking helpful?

Urine sugar has its" particular place in assessing control. Sugar starts appearing in urine when blood sugar exceeds 180 mg%. When you have checked blood sugar, then checking urine sugar at the same time is meaningless. Urine sugar is of value when for some reason or other you cannot check blood sugar. For example, in the elderly, people with eyesight problem or in cases of economic restraint. Strips are available to check urine sugar by matching colour. A “nil" will tell your blood sugar is less than 180 mg%. It will not tell how low the blood sugar is. So urine sugar is not helpful in detecting low sugar (Hypoglycaemia). If control is good urine sugar should always be negative.

Can I check my blood sugar without pricking myself?

We are waiting for that day as well. Science is advancing so rapidly. Just think, a few years back Insulin was not available neither the tablets nor sugar tests. Already, research is in progress to see whether we can check sugar by very fine painless puncture (micro puncture) or in saliva and sweat. Let us pray the breakthrough coming soon.

Story first published: Wednesday, September 8, 2010, 17:53 [IST]
Read more about: diabetes insulin