With so many blood glucose meters on the market, choosing the right one can be overwhelming. Here are a few factors to consider: First, determine which blood glucose monitoring system(s) (meter and strips together) your health plan covers. Most health plans, including Medicare, cover at least a portion of your meter and monitoring supplies. This cost makes up one of the largest ongoing expenses you have managing your diabetes. Ask your health care provider to recommend one of the covered monitoring systems. Choose a meter you will use to check your blood glucose level regularly. The information you get helps both you and your health care provider do the best possible job taking care of your diabetes. If you still aren’t sure which meter to purchase, ask your Walgreens pharmacist for further assistance. Choosing the right meter up-front will make all the difference.
Next, consider these other factors:
- Ease of Use. Take the meter for a "test drive" to make sure you feel comfortable using it. Your Walgreens pharmacist or your diabetes educator can help you do this. Some meters are more difficult to handle than others. Also, see if you can read the results from the machine easily. The screens on some meters are larger than others.
- Accuracy. All monitors have approval from the medical devices division of the Food and Drug Administration. This ensures the accuracy of each monitor. However, it’s important for you to know that the meters are not as precise as the results of blood tests taken at the lab. Your meter will likely measure your blood glucose within 20 percent of your usual lab test numbers. This is considered the acceptable range.
- Speed. Several monitors provide results in five seconds. That’s the quickest test around. If you check your blood glucose several times a day, you may want a quick test.
- Portability. If you carry your meter with you, which is what most people should do, make sure it is small and portable. Most monitors come with a carrying case in which there is room for your monitoring supplies.
- Alternate Site Testing. If you want to get blood from a site other than your fingers, make sure the meter you buy is approved for what’s called alternate site testing. Find out which meters are approved for alternate site testing by going to the company’s web site or calling their toll-free number.
- Results Upload. Most monitors allow you to upload results to your computer and analyze them electronically. This feature can help you and your health care provider make more sense of your blood glucose numbers.
