Problems of blood glucose self-monitoring in patients with diabetes mellitus

Glycemic self-monitoring is essential in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Compliance with the recommendations for selfmonitoring of glycemia is an important condition for the prevention of diabetes complications. The article provides a review of the problems associated with blood glucose self-monitoring faced by diabetic patients and doctors. These include low frequency of blood glucose self-monitoring, technical errors in glucose measurements, errors in keeping a diary and errors in using measurement data to diabetes control. The blood glucose monitoring system, which includes the glucometer, test strips, application, сloud for data storage can be used for blood glucose self-monitoring in patients with diabetes mellitus. The article discusses the features and advantages of the blood glucose monitoring system. The advantages of the glucometer are the no сoding technology and the following options: аpplication of additional amount of blood to the test strip; adding meal marks, testing as the measurement results compare with targets and informing about it; storage a large number of measurement results. In addition to the standard blood glucose measurement, the glucose meter and the application offer many features to improve blood glucose self-monitoring that can help to improve diabetes management: automatic transferring measurement results to smartphone or tablet; saving notes in logbook; display of glucose trends and testing as they compare with targets; offering quick and valuable tips for critical high/low glucose values.

Optimization of Self Monitoring Blood Glucose in Diabetes Mellitus Patients in Detecting Hypoglicemia Episodes: Literature Review

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that continues to increase from year to year. The act of detecting hypoglycemic episodes is a must for a diabetic patient. This study aims to present the optimization of blood glucose self-monitoring measures in patients with diabetes mellitus and to review some of the literature on this topic.Methods: This study is a form of literature review of articles with the theme Optimization Self Monitoring Blood Glucose in diabetes mellitus patient detecting hypoglicemia episodes. Articles in this study came from the electronic databases of Google Scholar, PubMed, Proquest, Scopus and Science Direct from 2005 to 2020. Results: Search results using the keywords Self Management Blood Glucose, Hypoglicemia, Diabetes Mellitus were obtained from 57 articles. 18 articles that met the inclusion criteria were then reviewed for their full text. Conclusion: Self Monitoring Blood Glucose is a preventive measure in detecting hypoglycemic episodes. This intervention is the best choice for patients to prevent further complications.

Hypoglycemia, an obstacle to achieving glycemic control. Importance of blood glucose self-monitoring

Hypoglycemia is a well-known factor, limiting the patient's ability to achieve adequate glycemic control, and capable of causing a number of car-diovascular diseases (CVDs). Recurrent hypoglycemia may result in severe, potentially fatal complication of diabetes mellitus (DM), the impaired hypoglycemia awareness, raising the risk of severe hypoglycemia up up to six times. Measuring blood glucose levels is a universally accepted com-ponent of glycemic control and one of the strategies for prevention of hypoglycemia, along with the structured patient education in DM manage-ment and the use of modern hypoglycemic medications. Prevention of severe hypoglycemia may be important for prevention of CVDs in patients with DM.

Importance of blood glucose self-monitoring in treatment of diabetes mellitus in the modern world

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disorder associated with microvasular and macrovascular complications, the prevention of which is an important challenge of modern medicine. Contemporary methods for diabetes management rely on the active involvement of the patient. Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) provides the basis for efficient antihyperglycemic therapy and prevention of hypoglycemia, as well as for the improvement of patient adherence to treatment. The importance of SMBG has further increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, since the adequate glycemic control can reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection and the disease severity in patients with DM. The recommended frequency of SMBG in patients with DM is discussed. A variety of glucose meters are available for measurement of blood glucose. Compliance with accuracy standards, simplicity and convenience for patients are the important criteria for selecting the glucose meter.

The role of blood glucose self-monitoring in assessing glycemic variability in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus

In the context of the increasing prevalence of diabetes, an important task is to educate the patient on the mandatory self-monitoring of blood glucose levels (SMBG), which is an integral component of the treatment and prevention of acute and chronic complications of the disease. On the basis of the SMBG data, it is possible to assess the parameters of glycemic variability, which is the fluctuations in blood glucose during the day and differences in blood glucose levels at the same time on different days. Due to the fact that GV is one of the main criteria for assessing the quality of glycemic control, its correction is considered as a new goal in the treatment of patients with diabetes.

Self-care of users with diabetes mellitus entered into a program of capillary blood glucose self-monitoring / Autocuidado de usuários com diabetes mellitus inseridos em um programa de automonitorização da glicemia capilar

Objetivo: Avaliar o desempenho das atividades de autocuidado de usuários com diabetes mellitus inseridos em um programa de automonitorização da glicemia capilar no domicílio. Método: Estudo transversal, descritivo, com abordagem quantitativa, realizado no domicílio de usuários com diabetes mellitus que realizam a automonitorização da glicemia capilar, totalizando uma amostra de 279 usuários. Na avaliação das atividades de autocuidado utilizou-se o Questionário de Atividades de Autocuidado com o Diabetes, e para coleta dos dados sociodemográficos e clínico foi aplicado um roteiro sistematizado. Resultados: Os dados revelaram que as dimensões alimentação específica, atividade física e monitorização glicêmica demostra comportamento de autocuidado não desejável, enquanto adesão medicamentosa apresentou o melhor comportamento de autocuidado desejável. Conclusão: Os usuários com diabetes mellitus que realizam a automonitorização da glicemia capilar no domicílio necessitam de um acompanhamento específico, acrescido de práticas educativas contínuas que estimulem a participação efetiva nas atividades de autocuidado.

Usefulness of YouTube™ videos in training patients for blood glucose self-monitoring in current coronavirus disease-19 pandemic

Objectives: During the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic, due to restricted health-care access, patients may not get hands-on training for self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) from physicians. YouTube™ is a popular video-sharing web platform that can be used as a source of information for SMBG. This study aimed to assess the usefulness of YouTube™ videos on SMBG. Material and Methods: We searched the keywords “blood glucose self-monitoring,” “home blood glucose monitoring,” “blood glucose test,” and “blood sugar test” on YouTube™. The first 40 videos of each search were listed. After the two-stage screening, 49 videos were included for final data analysis. General characteristics and SMBG-specific characteristics (namely, strip handling, lancing device handling, measurement, and post- measurement action) were observed with pre-defined criteria having “yes” and “no” closed option. Data were tested statistically by the binomial test. Results: Average duration of 49 videos was 244.20 ± 72.61 s and those were online since 35.14 ± 20.52 months on YouTube™. Information about strip handling was mostly deficient, major being checking the expiry date (16.33% videos had the information). The handling of the lancing device was correct in the majority of the videos except for the disinfection of the tip of the lancing device (6.12% videos had the information). The measurement procedure was also correct in the majority of the videos except for the instruction to dry the hands (38.78% videos had the information) after washing. The post-measurement logbook entry was found in 48.98% videos. Conclusion: YouTube™ videos can be used as a potential source of information for patients’ education for SMBG. However, there are various levels of the incompleteness of the tutorials. Primary care physicians may suggest YouTube™ videos after exploring the videos and selecting the most appropriate one for their patients.

Education in Diabetes Mellitus for blood glucose self-monitoring: a quasi-experimental study

ABSTRACT Objective: to evaluate the contributions of an educational program for capillary blood glucose self-monitoring. Method: a quasi-experimental study performed in an outpatient unit of a tertiary health care service in a sample of 25 people with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, from July 2016 to December 2017, developed through interactive tools for care with capillary blood glucose self-monitoring. Results: among the items of capillary blood glucose self-monitoring that showed improvement after participation in the educational program, the most noteworthy are the “postprandial blood glucose values” (p=0.0039), “Interpretation of capillary blood glucose results with meals and medications” (p=0.0156), “recognition of the ‘weakness’ symptom for hyperglycemia” (p=0.0386) and “administration of medications correctly” for hyperglycemia prevention (p=0.0063). Conclusion: the study made it possible to recognize the main characteristics of blood glucose self-monitoring that may contribute to the care for the person with diabetes.

Relationship between HbA1c and capillary blood glucose self-monitoring in type 2 diabetics

Introduction. Diabetes Control and Complications Trial has established the importance of glycemic control in reducing the progression of retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy in type 1 diabetics. There is little literature linking the frequency of glycemic monitoring with glycated hemoglobin A (HbA1c) in type 2 diabetics. The objectives were to assess the influence of glycemic self-monitoring on HbA1c in three groups of patients with type 2 diabetes (with insulin, with oral antidiabetics and with combination therapy). Methods. The glucometer capillary surveys of 117 patients were counted in the 30 days prior to the visit to the Integrated Diabetes Unit at Centro Hospitalar Tondela-Viseu. In the three groups considered, sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, area of residence, household and schooling) were evaluated and compared. Results. There was no statistically significant association between HbA1c and the frequency of capillary glucose in any of the groups. In the evaluation of sociodemographic data, contrary to what was expected, the area of residence and schooling did not influence the value of HbA1c. Conclusion. These results question the role of glycemic monitoring in the metabolic control of type 2 diabetics, highlighting the need to implement therapeutic education programs so that these patients can adequately intervene in the therapeutic adjustment as a function of the information obtained by capillary glycemia.