LIVINGLIVING
A
rom the time you leave
the doctor's office or the
hospital after diagnosis
with Type 1 Diabetes,
there are a few items that
become integrated into your daily life.
Your insulin delivery system, be it a pump
or a pen, a finger pricking device (usually
not the best one for the job, so certainly
understand the options) and a blood
glucose meter. (People diagnosed with
other types of diabetes may get some of
this kit too, but it is more variable.)
The relationship between the person
with diabetes and their meter can be
a turbulent one, from the exclamation
of "you must be joking" right through
to the elation associated with 'nailing
it' finally after a period of rollercoasterlike
levels. People certainly take these
pieces of kit for granted but looking into
what they do, it can be seen that they are
remarkable pieces of precision electronic
miniaturisation.
0.1mmol/l of glucose is less than
0.02g of glucose in the entire body, or
around 200 grains. Meters report to this
level or precision, although whether they
are accurate to that level is a source of
much debate. People often think that
the meter that they are given is the one
they have to stuck with. Increasingly,
however, the spotlight is being shone on
the price of the associated testing strips,
and with good reason. The price to the
NHS of the cheapest strip is about 11p,
with the most expensive being 33p. The
total NHS England spends just on test
strips is over £12m every month. And
ALL THINGS CONSIDERED
Things to assess when choosing a
blood test meter. By Nick Cahm
that is without factoring in Freestyle Libre
sensors, which currently cost the NHS
nearly £6m a month.
However, cost certainly shouldn't
be the only consideration. People with
diabetes invest time and effort managing
their condition, so it is only right that the
tools are the most appropriate for the job.
Meters have a wide range of functions
and specificities to meet the needs of
users. For some those functions won't
be necessary or may be a 'nice to have',
for others, they are essential. This is why
it is important to ensure that your device
meets your needs.
A final overarching factor to consider,
particularly for Type 1s, is the ability to
test for ketones. NICE say that all Type
1s should have the ability to ketone test,
however there are few ketone test strips
available on prescription
Ten things to check
Finding a meter with the functions you
need is therefore important. Here is a top
10 of the functions and why you might
find them beneficial.
1. Battery life
With a device that you carry and ultimately
rely on to be there whenever you need it,
having a reliable and long-lasting battery
life is important. Up until the last few
years, meters came with cell batteries
like CR2032 or even standard AAAtype. Mobile phone technology is now
being more widely employed with USB
charging available across many devices.
Improvements in overall technology
means that battery life is significant. If it
is a concern with your meter, it's probably
time to move to a more modern device.
continued over
KIT
REPORT