blood glucose monitoring blood glucose monitoring blood glucose monitoring is the use of a glucose meter for testing the concentration of glucose in the blood (glycemia). particularly important in diabetes management, a blood glucose test is typically performed by piercing the skin (typically, via fingerstick) to draw blood, then applying the blood to a chemically active disposable 'test-strip'. the other main option is continuous glucose monitoring (cgm). different manufacturers use different technology, but most systems measure an electrical characteristic and use this to determine the glucose level in the blood. skin-prick methods measure capillary blood glucose (i.e., the level found in capillary blood), whereas cgm correlates interstitial fluid glucose level to blood glucose level. measurements may occur after fasting or at random nonfasting intervals (random glucose tests), each of which informs diagnosis or monitoring in different ways. blood glucose monitoringblood glucose testing, showing the size of blood drop required by most modern meters.meshd015190 healthcare professionals advise patients with diabetes mellitus on the appropriate monitoring regimen for their condition. most people with type 2 diabetes test at least once per day. the mayo clinic generally recommends that diabetics who use insulin (all type 1 diabetics and many type 2 diabetics) test their blood sugar more often (4–8 times per day for type 1 diabetics, 2 or more times per day for type 2 diabetics), both to assess the effectiveness of their prior insulin dose and to help determine their next insulin dose. purpose blood glucose monitoring reveals individual patterns of blood glucose changes, and helps in the planning of meals, activities, and at what time of day to take medications. also, testing allows for a quick response to high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) or low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). this might include diet adjustments, exercise, and insulin (as instructed by the health care provider). blood glucose meters main article: glucose meter four generations of blood glucose meter, c. 1991–2005. sample sizes vary from 30 to 0.3 μl. test times vary from 5 seconds to 2 minutes (modern meters typically require less than 15 seconds). a blood glucose meter is an electronic device for measuring the blood glucose level. a relatively small drop of blood is placed on a disposable test strip which interfaces with a digital meter. within several seconds, the level of blood glucose will be shown on the digital display. needing only a small drop of blood for the meter means that the time and effort required for testing are reduced and the compliance of diabetic people to their testing regimens is improved significantly. the cost of using blood glucose meters is believed to be a cost-benefit relative to the avoided medical costs of the complications of diabetes. recent advances include: alternative site testing, the use of blood drops from places other than the fingertips, usually the palm or forearm. this alternative site testing uses the same test strips and meter, is practically pain-free, and gives the fingertips a needed break if they become sore. the disadvantage of this technique is that there is usually less blood flow to alternative sites, which prevents the reading from being accurate when the blood sugar level is changing. no coding systems. older systems required 'coding' of the strips to the meter. this carried a risk of 'miscoding', which can lead to inaccurate results. two approaches have resulted in systems that no longer require coding. some systems are 'autocoded', where technology is used to code each strip to the meter. and some are manufactured to a 'single code', thereby avoiding the risk of miscoding. multi-test systems. some systems use a cartridge or a disc containing multiple test strips. this has the advantage that the user doesn't have to load individual strips each time, which is convenient and can enable quicker testing. downloadable meters. most newer systems come with software that allows the user to download meter results to a computer. this information can then be used, together with health care professional guidance, to enhance and improve diabetes management. the meters usually require a connection cable, unless they are designed to work wirelessly with an insulin pump, are designed to plug directly into the computer, or use a radio (bluetooth, for example) or infrared connection. continuous glucose monitoring