How to Choose a Blood Sugar Monitor

Do you need to purchase a blood sugar monitor? If you are diabetic or hypoglycemic, it is imperative for your continued health to do so. If you are at risk for either of these conditions, it would be a good idea. There are dozens of models on the market and each of them has their own strengths and weaknesses, but there are several things to take into consideration before you make your final purchase. In the end, the important factors in choosing a blood sugar monitor really come down to five things: cost, accuracy, size, speed, and features.

Instructions

• 1

  Consider the cost of not just the blood sugar monitor itself, but the test strips. You will need to purchase these every month or more, depending on how often you need to test yourself. A cheap meter with expensive strips will end up costing you more than an expensive meter with cheap strips.

• 2

  Ensure that it is accurate. Most meters will be accurate to within fifteen percent of the true reading, but lower quality models will vary by a much higher amount. If the blood sugar monitor you choose is not accurate, it will do you no good at all because you will never know for sure if it is giving you a true account of your levels.

• 3

  Look at the size. You will want to make sure that it is portable enough to carry around with you so that you can take readings when you are away from home. If it is large enough that you will frequently have to leave it behind, skip it. For a diabetic to remain in good health, he or she needs to keep his or her blood glucose under tight control.

• 4

  Take a look at the display. Is it easy to read? Look for a blood sugar monitor with a large display that you can read with no trouble whatsoever. Also make sure that the results given are clear and easy to understand. If you cannot read it or interpret the results, you may as well not even have it.

• 5

  Check and see if it allows for alternate site testing. Some people have a great deal of difficulty taking enough blood from their fingertips and need to instead take it from the forearm or another alternate site. Because blood chemistry can vary considerably depending on where in the body the sample is taken from, if you need to take it from an alternate site, be sure that your blood sugar monitor is designed for it.

• 6

  Find out how long it takes to display the results. Different meters take different amounts of time to calculate and display your result. You will want to make sure that you get one that is nice and quick.