The glucose meter is the most popular method of glucose monitoring. Although other methods exist, the glucose meter is considered the most accurate home method for measuring day-to-day control of glucose (blood sugar).

A glucose meter, also called a glucose monitor, is a small, is a small, portable device that lets patients check their levels of blood glucose. Testing glucose with a typical meter requires a person to use a lancet and place a small sample of blood on a test strip. Test strips are coated in chemicals that combine with glucose. The meter then analyzes the strip.

Alternatives to the glucose meter include:

• Visually read blood glucose strips. These strips require a blood sample to be applied to a chemically coated test strip. The test pad on the strip then changes color accordingly. The more glucose is present in the blood the greater the color change on the test pad. The user then compares the color on the test pad to a color chart on the side of the vial and estimates their level of blood glucose.
  
  Visually read blood strips are beneficial when patients forget their meter or when their meter is malfunctioning. They are also easier to use when traveling. However, healthcare experts recommend the use of glucose meters over visually read blood test strips because:
  
  
• Comparing color patches is not as straightforward as reading a number on a glucose meter.
  
  
• Visually read blood strips are less accurate than meters because they provide only a range and not an exact number. Although some experienced people can read the strips as accurately as a meter, most people are simply guessing.
  
  
• Patients must be able to see subtle changes in color to use this test, which may not be possible for someone who is colorblind or has eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma or cataracts. A meter does not use colors.

• Comparing the test pad to the chart before it has finished changing color can result in inaccurate readings. Early readings are not possible with meters.
  
  
• Visually read urine strips. Glucose can also be present in urine, and there are several urine tests available on the market. Some require the strip to be dipped into a cup of urine, and others need to be passed through a stream of urine. The chemically coated test pad then reacts with the glucose in the sample and changes color accordingly. The test pad is then compared to a color chart on the side of the vial.
  
  Like visually read blood strips, visually read urine strips are beneficial when patients forget their meter or when their meter is malfunctioning. They are also easier to use when traveling. Although urine testing is less intrusive than blood testing, it is less accurate. Urine strips should be used for glucose measuring only when blood testing is not an option. Among the drawbacks of visually read urine strips:
  
  
• Hypoglycemia is not detected. The strips measure if blood glucose is too high but do not detect if it is too low because at lower levels glucose does not enter the urine.
  
  
• Results are not current. Urine strips do not report what glucose levels are at the moment, but rather what they were several hours ago. Current readings are necessary for deciding insulin dosage, handling emergencies and evaluating treatment programs.
  
  
• Results do not provide details. Urine strips do not report when levels were high or how high they were.
  
  
• Results are not exact. Urine glucose levels are more of an average value than blood glucose levels.
  
  
• Many factors can alter results. Aspirin, fluid intake, vitamin C, dehydration, and failure to fully empty the bladder on the previous trip to the bathroom may alter urine strip results.
  
  
• Results are easier to misread. Like visual read blood strips, colorblindness or other visual difficulties can interfere with accurate reading, as can reading the strip before it has finished changing color. Comparing color patches is not as straightforward as reading a number from a glucose meter.
  
  
• Glycohemoglobin test (A1C test). This test measures a person’s average blood glucose level over a two- to three-month period. Hemoglobin is a protein component of red blood cells that transports oxygen to the cells in the body. Hemoglobin combines with blood glucose to make glycosylated hemoglobin. The test shows the amount of glucose that sticks (glycates) to the red blood cells, which is proportional to the amount of glucose in the blood.
  
  Having a glycohemoglobin test several times a year is a good way to determine if glucose levels are under control. Patients who are not meeting their treatment goals should have the A1C test four times a year, or as recommended by their physician. Traditionally assessed in a physician’s office, glycohemoglobin can now be measured with home testing kits. Most require patients to take their own blood sample and mail it to a lab for results. At least one version allows patients to see an immediate digital reading, but it is a one-time-use test. However, home monitoring cannot replace the regular A1C test performed by a physician.
  
  Although glycohemoglobin testing can provide an idea of how well a patient’s diabetes management plan is working, it does not replace daily self-testing of blood glucose levels. Major drawbacks of solely using glycohemoglobin tests include:
  
  
• Day-to-day glucose control is not measured
  
  
• Insulin amounts cannot be adjusted based on A1C test results
  
  
• Vitamins C and E, high levels of lipids and diseases of the liver and kidneys may cause inaccurate results
  
  
• Anemia and other diseases that affect hemoglobin may cause inaccurate results