The unit of measurement of sugar in the blood - blood glucose meter

Blood sugar - meter can now be freely purchased at the pharmacy. Available in several types of portable glucose meters, different in size and appearance, easy to use and requires no special training for their use. A study using the meter is also carried out using test strips. For each type of meter manufacturers produce their own test strips that are not suited to other devices (sometimes free test strips provides patients with diabetes endocrinologist - you need to pay attention, whether they coincide with the meter). Do not approach the meter and test strips are designed for comparing a color standard. Most of the portable blood glucose meters allows you to accurately determine the amount of sugar in the blood.

Purchase a portable meter to determine blood sugar levels at home - not an easy problem. Equally important for the patient who spends several studies in the day, has the price of a test strip for a particular meter, and the ability to always buy them at your local pharmacy. Test strips have a certain shelf life, which guarantees the correct result of the study. But they must be stored correctly - at room temperature in a dry, dark place. They can not be put in the refrigerator and keep open (not placed in special packaging) - the result of such storage may be the wrong result of the study.

Often the price of the device depends on the set and the number of items included in the kit. These can be special pens for blood test strips, lancets, and so on. Sometimes set (and, accordingly, the price) included unnecessary given patient objects or functions, such as extended memory for a larger number of records, the compatibility with the personal computer, an audio warning system, the calculation of the required dose of insulin The principles of action of insulin - the science of saving lives   and so on. It is worth to pay attention. It should also carefully read the instructions to the machine, and if something is not clear, ask the seller.

Different blood glucose meters have different speed of the test, but as even the slowest, it is not more than a minute, if you select the device that does not really matter. Portable meter does not have a very high accuracy, so in case of doubt, the analysis must be repeated in other portable glucometer, and biochemical analyzer laboratory medical institution.

What research is needed to assess the condition of the patient with diabetes

Diabetes - a disease which often leads to various complications. In order to prevent complications such time, at home you need to have everything you need for several more studies. For example, when a high blood sugar (over 10 mmol / l) needed to determine the sugar in urine and the presence therein of ketone bodies (in blood sugar above 14 mmol / l). Periodically, we should also determine the presence of protein in the urine - this is indicative of complications from the kidney. For definitions of all of these indicators, there are test strips.

It is particularly important in the determination of urine ketone bodies. These toxins appear in blood and urine at the very high sugar. In this case, to obtain the energy required for the organs and tissues of the metabolism Metabolism: The basis of life of all living things , The body begins to use fat. Upon decomposition of fat in the liver produces a lot of energy, but the process is accompanied by formation of large amounts of toxic substances - ketone or acetone. Ketone bodies cause an increase in the acidity of all organs and tissues, which leads to the development of severe intoxication. Simultaneous removal together with a large amount of sugar in the urine fluid promotes dewatering and Development hyperglycemic coma.

If you detect these changes at the beginning, that corrective measures can be taken on their own (endocrinologists teach patients how to help themselves in an emergency). If we miss this moment, someone would have to be treated only in the emergency room and not the fact that the treatment has ended safely.

That is why patients with diabetes mellitus Diabetes - threatening and incurable disease   I must know everything about the disease, including how to catch the dangerous moment of the onset of hyperglycemic coma, and in this situation to help themselves.

For a complete picture of the status of carbohydrate metabolism and the correct treatment of diabetic patients assigned to once every few months are being identified in blood levels of glycosylated hemoglobin. This figure gives an idea of ​​average blood sugar levels Blood sugar - one of the main indicators of human health   in the past two or three months. If this index is greater than 6, 5%, so in recent months, blood containing elevated amounts of sugar.

Diabetes requires constant monitoring of blood sugar.

Galina Romanenko

Changes in sugar during pregnancy

A pregnant woman is at risk of developing gestational diabetes, especially in the presence of predisposing factors. This pathology can occur in 4% of women. As predisposing factors are the following conditions:

• being overweight
• existing diabetes in close relatives
• weighed down by history (the birth of the previously large children, stillbirth or miscarriage in history)

Indicators of sugar in pregnant women should not differ from that of a healthy person, so the rate of sugar in the blood of pregnant women should not exceed 5, 5 mmol / l. Often, you can identify pregnant women fasting hyperglycemia. Most often, gestational diabetes is diagnosed in the third trimester of gestation 27-32 weeks of pregnancy. This state is transient and ephemeral, so within a year of childbirth comes normalization of glycemia.

Changes in carbohydrate metabolism

For the physiological state of pregnancy characterized by changes in carbohydrate metabolism, as it is required to ensure that the developing fetus needs great energy material. These changes are related to the influence of the hormones that are produced in a woman's body (that placental hormones - lactogen, estrogen, progesterone). These hormones satisfy all energy costs are pregnant due to their lipolytic action that allows you to keep glucose to supply the fetus. This glucose is the energy source for the fetus.

It is proved that by its nature the metabolism during pregnancy are regarded as similar in diabetes. In this sense, the pregnancy is diabetogenic factor. These properties contribute to the development of pregnancy gestational diabetes transient state.

Diabetes

Women who have had gestational diabetes in a subsequent many times increased risk of developing overt diabetes. When compared with healthy women, who had no violations during pregnancy, the risk will be higher by 3-6 times. This occurs 10-20 years after suffering a disease state transformation often ends in Type II diabetes. When comparing the major pathogenetic aspects of Type II diabetes and gestational diabetes were identified similar mechanisms. The main differences were due to the influence of hormonal changes that develop only if pregnancy occurs. To avoid such consequences, it is recommended to women after childbirth to follow certain recommendations. It is necessary to avoid weight gain, try to exercise Myths about exercise: do not believe   and stick to a healthy diet. Some experts practicing the implementation of the annual fasting glucose for women at risk.

If a woman has become pregnant against the backdrop of existing diabetes, the situation deserves special attention, since pregnancy significantly affects the course of the disease. There is wobble glucose Glucose: The energy source   depending on the duration of pregnancy, so it is advisable to carry out preventive hospitalization of women in a timely manner, which will help to avoid negative consequences. Blood sugar - its rate is determined by the sensitivity of tissues to insulin. During the first trimester demonstrated increased sensitivity of tissues and a decrease in glucose levels, so it leads to an improvement in the general condition of the woman. The main costs are at higher glucose needs of the fetus in this period. In such a condition can easily develop hypoglycemia, which requires correction dose of insulin.

Complications

As the progression of pregnancy in women deteriorating health, there is a tendency to hyperglycemia, increasing insulin requirements The principles of action of insulin - the science of saving lives . Stabilization of the state observed after 30-32 weeks and almost to term. In the developing fetus begins to produce its own insulin, so it affects the body of a pregnant woman. The process of birth is a strong emotional stress How to beat stress? Create an oasis , Physical activity, which is reflected in the performance of sugar in the postpartum period. In the first two days after birth sugar level is reduced as much as possible, but further normalized to levels that were up to pregnancy.

Considering that the disease may worsen during pregnancy and develop serious complications, not all women are hatching safely tolerate pregnancy and the birth process itself. To prevent negative effects, it is advisable to decide on the carrying of a pregnancy together with the endocrinologist, who can assess the degree of risk in terms of endocrine disorders.

The rate of blood sugar changes in women when taking certain medicines. This fact must be taken into account in obtaining the results of a blood test. Status hyperglycemia can cause hormonal agents (glucocorticoid, estrogen drugs, and oral contraceptives). If a woman gets a replacement therapy, may occur a slight increase in the values ​​of blood sugar. To obtain reliable results of glycemia should be excluded for a while taking the drug. This should solve the advisory to the temporary cancellation of the drug did not lead to negative consequences.