Checking your blood glucose levels can help you manage your diabetes. You will be able to
see what makes your numbers go ‘up’ or ‘down’, such as eating dierent foods, taking your
medicine, being active or when you are unwell. You can discuss this information with your
diabetes health professionals to help you make decisions about how to manage your diabetes.
These decisions can help you keep your blood glucose levels in range and stay healthy.
Blood glucose monitoring
NDSS Helpline 1800 637 700
ndss.com.au
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Why do I need to check my blood glucose levels?
Often, people living with diabetes can feel good
unless their blood glucose levels are too high
or too low. Checking your blood glucose levels
(also known as self-monitoring or nger prick
checks) throughout the day will help you make
decisions that keep levels within your target
range. Checking your blood glucose levels is an
important part of managing your diabetes, just as
changing lifestyle habits and taking medication
prescribed by your doctor or diabetes nurse
practitioner. Checking your blood glucose levels
helps you to:
•
know immediately if your levels are in your
target range
•
see if your diabetes medication is helping you
to achieve your target levels
•
better understand how activity, food, stress,
travel and illness inuence your blood glucose
levels
•
nd patterns in your blood glucose levels
through the day and night
•
nd patterns of low blood glucose levels (also
known as hypoglycaemia or hypo) if you are
using insulin or other types of blood glucose-
lowering medications
•
feel more condent about managing your
diabetes
•
know when you need to seek support from
your doctor or diabetes health professionals
to adjust your medications or insulin, or for
advice on meal planning or physical activity.
FACT SHEET:
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Your doctor, diabetes nurse practitioner and
diabetes educator can:
•
help you choose a blood glucose meter
that best suits you
•
give you information about how to check
your blood glucose levels
•
work with you to decide how often and at what
times it would be best to check your levels
•
help you learn how checking your blood
glucose levels regularly can show you patterns
that you can use to make decisions about how
to manage your diabetes.
How do I check my blood glucose
levels?
•
To check your blood glucose levels, you
need a blood glucose meter, a nger pricking
device with lancets and blood glucose
monitoring strips. There are a wide variety of
blood glucose meters available. Your doctor,
diabetes nurse practitioner or diabetes
educator can show you how to use it.
•
Meters record and store blood glucose levels.
Most meters will also have computer software
so you can download your blood glucose
levels. This makes it easier to share the results
with your diabetes health professionals.
Some meters also allow you to record
information about food choices, exercise
and insulin doses.
•
Some people check their glucose level using a
continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) or ash
glucose monitoring (Flash GM) device. These
devices measure glucose in the uid between
your cells instead of in your blood.
What is my ‘target range’?
•
Your doctor, diabetes nurse practitioner or
diabetes educator will recommend a blood
glucose target range that is best for you. They
will consider your age, how long you have
lived with diabetes, the diabetes medication
you take, and any other relevant health
conditions you may have.
•
The following ranges for blood glucose targets
are a guide only. Talk to your diabetes health
professionals about your individual target.
Blood glucose targets
Fasting/
before meals
Two hours after
starting meals
Type 1 diabetes 4–7 mmol/L 5–10 mmol/L
Type 2 diabetes 4–7 mmol/L 5–10 mmol/L
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When should I check?
Your doctor, diabetes nurse practitioner or
diabetes educator will help you decide when and
how often to check your blood glucose levels.
Ask for help to develop a routine that suits your
lifestyle. Common times for people to check
blood glucose levels include:
•
before breakfast (fasting)
•
before lunch or dinner
•
two hours after a meal
•
before bed
•
before driving or exercising.
You may be advised to check your blood glucose
levels more often if you are:
•
feeling sick or stressed
•
being more or less physically active than usual
•
having more hypos than usual
•
changing your routine, such as travelling or
starting a new job
•
changing or adjusting your diabetes
medication or insulin
•
changing your eating pattern
•
having night sweats or morning headaches
•
noticing high blood glucose levels above the
target range more often
•
planning pregnancy, are pregnant or breast
feeding
•
preparing for, or recovering from, surgery
•
starting on new medications, for example
steroids.
What causes blood glucose levels
to go up or down?
There are many reasons why your blood glucose
levels may go up or down during the day. The
most common causes include:
•
food intake (the time, type and amount
of food eaten)
•
the amount of exercise or physical activity
you do
•
diabetes medication
•
emotional stress and excitement
•
hormonal changes
•
illness and pain
•
alcohol
•
medications, such as steroids.
Are low blood glucose levels
dangerous?
Blood glucose levels will change throughout the
day. This is normal.
If you are using insulin and some glucose-
lowering diabetes medicines, you may be at
increased risk of hypos. If your level drops below
4 mmol/L you are having a hypo. Having blood
glucose levels below the healthy range that is not
treated can get dangerous.
Are high blood glucose levels
dangerous?
Having blood glucose levels above your target
range can increase your risk of developing
infections and other short-term diabetes related
complications such as dehydration.
If you have type 1 diabetes and your blood
glucose levels are high or if you are sick, you are
at risk of developing diabetic keto acidosis (also
known as DKA). Check for ketones in your blood
or urine. Follow your sick day action plan.
Having blood glucose levels above your target
range also increases your risk of developing long-
term diabetes-related complications such as heart
disease and stroke, kidney disease, or vision and
nerve problems.
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Blood glucose monitoring
More information and support
•
Go to ndss.com.au to access programs and services or in your state or territory, or online.
•
Go to ndss.com.au to search for the ‘Managing hypoglycaemia’, ‘Living with type 2 diabetes –
what to do when you are sick’ or ‘Living with type 1 diabetes – what to do when you are sick’,
‘Continuous glucose monitoring’, ‘Flash glucose monitoring’ and other fact sheets.
•
Call the NDSS Helpline on 1800 637 700 and ask to speak to a diabetes educator or go to
adea.com.au to nd a diabetes educator.
•
Go to healthdirect.gov.au to nd diabetes health professionals near you.
•
The NDSS is an initiative of the Australian Government administered by Diabetes Australia.
Registration with the NDSS is free and open to everyone who has been diagnosed with diabetes
and has a Medicare card. Through the NDSS, you can access subsidised products to help you
manage your diabetes, including blood glucose strips. To nd out more about NDSS registration
and how to access subsidised diabetes products, go to ndss.com.au/about-the-ndss/
What if my blood glucose level does
not seem right?
Sometimes, you may be surprised by your blood
glucose level. If it does not seem right to you,
there are a couple of things you can check.
•
Did you wash your hands and dry them well
before you did the blood glucose check?
•
Are the strips in-date?
•
Was the strip the correct one for the meter?
•
Have the strips been aected by climate, heat
or light?
•
Is the meter clean?
•
Is the meter too hot or cold?
•
Is the battery low?
If in doubt, check your blood glucose level again.
What is the HbA1c test?
The abbreviation ‘HbA1c’ stands for glycosylated
haemoglobin. It is a blood test that tells you about
your average blood glucose level over the last
10–12 weeks.
It is recommended that you have this test done
every six months. You may be advised to have
it done every three months if you have type 1
diabetes, have recently changed your diabetes
medications, or have not reached your blood
glucose targets. The results of an HbA1c can help
give you an overall picture of your blood glucose
management.
The target HbA1c for many people is 53 mmol/
mol (7%) or less. But HbA1c targets can vary
depending on several factors. It is important to
discuss your individual HbA1c target with your
doctor, diabetes nurse practitioner or diabetes
educator.
At times, your blood glucose levels may not be
what you expect. Remember that blood glucose
levels are not a test of how well you are managing
your diabetes.
The NDSS and you
Whether you have just been diagnosed with diabetes, or have been living with diabetes for a
while, the NDSS provides a range of support services, information, and subsidised products
to help you manage your diabetes, stay healthy and live well. For access to more resources
(including translated versions), or to nd out more about support services, go to ndss.com.au
or call the NDSS Helpline on 1800 637 700.
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This information is intended as a guide only. It should not replace individual medical advice and if you
have any concerns about your health or further questions, you should contact your health professional.
Notes
Top tips
•
Checking your blood glucose levels
throughout the day will help you make
decisions that keep levels within your
target range.
•
Your doctor, diabetes nurse practitioner
or diabetes educator can help you
choose a blood glucose meter that
suits your needs, show you how to
use it and help you work out a routine
for when to check your blood glucose
levels.
•
Talk to your diabetes health
professionals about the target range
for your blood glucose levels and your
HbA1c test. They will recommend the
target ranges that are best for you.
Blood glucose monitoring
