Lifescan SureStep Blood Glucose Monitor - Manual (Page 12)

LEARNING
2
Purpose
People with diabetes use the OneTouch ® ®
SureStep ® Blood Glucose Monitoring
System to measure the level of glucose
(sugar) in their blood. The system is
intended for testing whole blood sam-
ples at the time when the blood sample
is obtained.
Why Test Your Blood Glucose
Diabetes is a disease where the body has
trouble controlling glucose levels properly.
Glucose levels may change greatly and
quickly. Glucose levels that are too high or
too low can lead to serious health issues.
This test enables a person to know what his
or her glucose is at the time it is measured.
In 1993 the National Institutes of Health
finished the Diabetes Control and Compli-
cations Trial (DCCT.) This was a long-term
study of people with type 1 diabetes. This
study found that you should keep your blood
glucose close to the levels of people with-
out diabetes. You can reduce the risk of
problems with the eyes, kidneys, and ner-
vous system by about 60%. You should be
aware that keeping your blood glucose level
close to the levels of people without dia-
betes increases your risk of hypoglycemic
events
1 (low blood sugar).
How often you need to test your blood glu-
cose depends on many factors. These
include your age, if you have type 1 or
type 2 diabetes, your medications, and
your health. Your Healthcare Professional
will guide you. It is important that you
make testing part of your daily routine.
When Not to Use
Do not use OneTouch ® SureStep ® blood
glucose results to determine whether
DCO_05074503A_OT_SS_OB_US 6/19/03 11:59 AM Page 2