Glucose Meter

A Glucose Meter is a device for measuring your own blood glucose levels. It can help you maintain an independent monitoring of your own blood glucose levels day to day without having to depend on your doctor's medical lab. If you have diabetes type 2 (non-insulin dependent) you can measure your daily progress in bringing down your blood sugar level through your diet and exercise program. If you have diabetes of the insulin-dependent kind then your doctor will advise you how often to use the device each day and how to use this information.

How to Use the Glucose Meter: the device comes with a lancet (small needle) that pricks the finger to draw a miniscule amount of blood. The blood sample is then applied to a test-strip of chemically treated paper which soaks it up. The paper is inserted into the Glucose Meter and the amount of blood in the glucose is then measured electrically or by some other means. The measurement is then presented to you on the display of the digital meter in milligrams per decilitre (mg/dl) or millimoles per litre (mmol/l).

New Developments

• Device size and weight: these have been reduced by more than 60% making the meter more portable and handy.
• Sample size: older glucose meters required larger blood samples. The sample size has now been reduced by almost 99% to miniscule amounts of 0.3 microlitres.
• Testing time: this has also been reduced from minutes to 5 seconds.
• Software: many manufacturers now provide software and a cable to link your glucose meter to your computer so that you may monitor and keep records of your progress. This also enables you to email your doctor with the results if you wish.

The Future: a Non-invasive Glucose Meter

In the future, non-invasive devices will become available. These will not require blood samples at all but rather close-up sensing of the blood in its natural location in an artery/capillary or sensing and analysis of sweat/exudation from locations on the skin. Recent thinking is in the areas of:

• Near infra-red detection: the surface of the fingertip and the surface of the mouth are transparent to Near Infra-red Light. Glucose readings can be taken by measuring the amount of this light that is transmitted or reflected. Source: PMID:10559042, PMCID: PMC1129067 (Glasgow, UK, 1999)
• Ultra-sound detection: pulsed infrared light is directed at and absorbed by molecules such as glucose. The glucose molecules heat up and expand. They then give off a sound wave which can be detected on the skin by a suitable microphone. Results of experiments have been encouraging. Source: PMID:10559042, PMCID: PMC1129067 (Glasgow, UK, 1999)
• electrochemical impedance spectroscopy:

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