Is At Home Glucometer Monitoring Truly Effective? New Research Says Maybe Not!

Do you use your glucometer as much as you should at home? Now, I am talking to type 2 diabetics for the most part, not insulin dependent type 1. I often think while at work, “why are we checking patient’s blood sugars 4 times a day if we aren’t covering them with insulin”? Being on a cardiac floor, most of our patients get tight insulin control, but there is the 30% that we seem to be sticking just to stick.

I also know that I check my own sugar 3 times a day, but if I am flying high in the 300’s, I can’t correct the issue due to not being on injectable insulin at the present. So why even do it? I am compliant though and continue to keep a journal, but I know that there are many type 2’s out there that say, “why check if I am not treating the problem, so why waste money and time”?

And that would be just what a new study examined… The effectiveness of at home glucometer monitoring by type 2 diabetics.

The study, published in the online edition of the British Medical Journal, found no conclusive evidence that home monitoring improved glucose control, Health Day said Wednesday.

They also found that most patients in the study did not even continue their monitoring to the end of the research. And then there is that whole insurance dilemma. Some insurance companies cover diabetic supplies and some do not, and take it from someone that has a private health insurance company that does not, it is expensive. I can see how that would be a deterrent for a lot of diabetics.

So what do you think? Do you think patients are compliant at home with their glucometers or do you think we should concentrated on more effective options? Hmm… tough one, I have mixed emotions on this one personally. Tell me what you think though? Come on, I know that someone is out there with an opinion.

Science Daily