How to Understand the Numbers on a Glucometer

If you are diabetic, you know how important it is to monitor your blood sugar regularly with a glucometer. Your readings can vary widely in a matter of hours, and it is these readings which reveal how well your current diet and medication works to control your blood sugar. Once you've performed a test, the glucometer provides you with a number that indicates the level of glucose in your blood. Proper interpretation of this number is crucial to maintaining control of your sugar on a daily basis.

Things You'll Need

• Alcohol pads
• Lancing device
• Blood glucose meter
• Test strips

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Instructions

• 1

  Perform a blood glucose test when you wake up each morning. Check the number on the screen of your glucometer. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), this number should be between 70 and 130 mg/dl.

• 2

  Perform a blood glucose test before meals. Note the number on the screen. The ADA recommends that this number should be between 70 and 130 mg/dl.

• 3

  Perform a blood glucose test two hours after a meal. Note the number on the screen. The preferred number after a meal should be below 180 mg/dl.