Diabetes home care management facts

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition associated with abnormally high levels of

sugar (glucose) in the blood.
The main types of diabetes mellitus are type 1 (insulin deficiency; formerly called
juvenile diabetes) and type 2 (insulin resistance).
Treatment depends on the type and severity of diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes requires insulin therapy as well as controlled nutrition and
exercise.
Type 2 diabetes is best treated with weight reduction, the proper diabetic diet,
and exercise. When these measures do not control the blood sugar, oral
medications and/or injectable therapies (including insulin) are prescribed.
The main goal of diabetes care is to control blood glucose levels in order to
prevent the serious complications of diabetes. Glucose levels should be lowered
into the normal range, while avoiding low blood sugar whenever possible. It is
essential to monitor the effects of treatment on blood glucose levels to avoid
overtreatment or undertreatment.
Two kinds of home blood glucose monitoring exist. The first type uses a reagent
strip. The second type uses a reagent strip and glucose meter. Use of the
glucose meter has become more common due to higher reliability than strips
alone. Glucose can also be measured in the urine but no longer has a significant
role in home testing.
Ketoacidosis is a serious but preventable complication from inadequate
treatment of diabetes. This dangerous condition is identified by testing for the
urine for ketones.
People with diabetes should discuss monitoring in detail with their health-care
professional, and have clearly defined goals for blood sugar control.
Choices for blood glucose meters should be discussed with your physician and
any caregivers. The optimal meter accounts for characteristics of the patient
which impact usability, such as visual impairment, tremors, and other factors.
 Glucose sensors have improved dramatically in the last few years. These
sensors provide strong options for patients to gain further insight into their
glucose patterns in order to tailor more individual treatment regimens.
People with diabetes should visit their health care professional every three
months to monitor their hemoglobin A1c levels and to discuss their treatment
plan.
Good care of diabetes at home with appropriate monitoring, combined with timely
visits to the health care team, make diabetes much more manageable. It is clear
that good control of diabetes reduces the risk of developing the complications
caused by diabetes, such as blindness and kidney failure.

Medically Reviewed by a Doctor on 3/22/2016