5 factors that affect the frequency of blood sugar testing

Diabetics can check blood sugar more or less 3 times per day depending on the type of diabetes; taking new drugs; Change your diet and exercise.

People with diabetes should check their blood sugar (blood sugar) at home. The number of checks depends largely on the type of diabetes and the frequency with which insulin is used.

Type 1 diabetes is an inherited disorder, and people with it use insulin daily or several times a day to manage glucose (sugar). Type 2 diabetes is a major lifestyle disorder that can be monitored with less blood sugar than type 1 diabetes. Here are some factors that can affect a person's blood sugar.

Treatment goals

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends checking your blood sugar at least three times a day if you need multiple insulin injections per day. However, the number of times depends on the goal of treatment.

Patients with type 1 diabetes require multiple daily insulin injections and regular blood sugar monitoring. However, regular blood glucose monitoring is not always helpful for people with type 2 diabetes, especially for people who do not take insulin. Your doctor can advise you on the right frequency and timing.

Use medicine

Certain classes of oral medications can cause low blood sugar. People who take insulin several times a day and certain medications used to lower blood sugar should keep an eye on their blood sugar levels.

Measuring blood sugar helps prevent sudden rise and fall in blood sugar. Photo: Freepik

Lifestyle change

If you've just been diagnosed with diabetes, started taking a new medication, ate foods you haven't eaten before, and have made other changes... it's a good idea to measure your blood sugar more often. These changes may include weight gain or loss, more or less exercise, or a change in the type of insulin used. People who are changing their treatment regimen should be tested several times a day.

Blood sugar at diagnosis

People with high blood sugar when diagnosed will need to monitor their blood sugar closely. According to the American Diabetes Association, the blood sugar of people with diabetes before meals should be in the range of 80-130 mg/dL; less than 180 mg/dL after a meal. People with blood sugar levels around 500 mg/dL at first diagnosis need to be tested more often than people with blood sugar levels at 180 mg/dL.

History of blood sugar control

The ADA further recommends that patients who are meeting treatment goals have the A1C test at least twice a year. The A1C test shows a person's blood sugar levels in the normal range over the past 3 months. For patients who have changed therapy or are not meeting treatment goals, the ADA recommends more frequent A1C testing.

In case the A1C result is less than 7%, it shows that the long-term blood sugar control is relatively good. You may have less blood sugar readings if you don't take insulin. You can choose to measure twice a day at times such as before and after breakfast, lunch, dinner or before bed.