Monitoring

Learn why monitoring your blood glucose is helpful in your diabetes management, and the parts of a blood glucose record.

To help manage your diabetes, you'll need to check your blood sugar level as directed by your healthcare provider. Keeping a log of your blood sugar levels will help you track your blood sugar readings.

Watch this clip to understand what continuous blood glucose monitoring is and its benefits, and a basic overview of how it works.

Continuous glucose monitoring is a way to track your blood sugar round the clock.

Watch this to learn what a blood glucose meter is.

Watch this video to see what a continuous glucose monitor is.

Learn about the connection between your A1c blood test result and your risk for developing the long-term complications of diabetes.

Using your meter helps you track your blood sugar every day. But your glucose meter tells you the value at the time of testing only. You also need to know if your treatment plan is keeping you healthy over time.

This simple test measures the amount of glucose in your blood over a period of time. We also call glucose "blood sugar." A higher-than-normal glucose reading is a sign that you have diabetes, or that you are at risk of developing it. Let's take a moment to learn more.

This simple test measures the amount of glucose in your blood over time. We also call glucose "blood sugar." If you have diabetes, this test helps us monitor your glucose to see how well your treatment plan is working. Let's take a moment to learn more.

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you need to learn how to take your blood sugar readings using a home blood glucose meter. Watch this instructional program to learn how to test with accuracy and minimal discomfort. Includes information on target levels, how to treat a blood sugar low, logging, and more.

Monitoring the level of sugar (glucose) in your blood is the key to controlling your diabetes. To be sure your glucose and insulin are in balance, check your blood sugar regularly. You can check your blood sugar level by using a blood glucose meter. Here's how.

Illustrations to show you how to check your blood sugar.

Here are images showing how to treat high blood sugar when you have diabetes.

The body needs glucose (a kind of sugar from food) for energy. If it doesn't get the glucose it needs, it starts burning fat. When fat is burned it produces ketones. Ketones can build up in the blood and urine. This buildup can cause a dangerous condition called ketoacidosis.

This test measures the amount of ketones in the blood or urine. Ketones are acids that build up to a toxic level when the body does not have enough insulin. The presence of ketones can show that a person who has diabetes is experiencing a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis. This is a serious complication of diabetes that can be life-threatening.

You've been told that your child has diabetes. This means that you must check their blood sugar level as directed by the healthcare provider. Read on to learn how to keep your child's blood sugar in a healthy range.

The A1C is a simple blood test. It measures your child's average blood sugar level over a period of 2 to 3 months. This is helpful because it tells how well your child's blood sugar is controlled.

Many people with diabetes who use insulin test their glucose 2 to 4 times daily. By tracking changes in the readings, you can tell when your blood glucose goes up or down.