In addition to the immediate reading provided by glucose sensing and the trend arrow, you can view on the screen of your computer or smartphone a wide range of relevant information about glucose levels and changes in them during a 24-hour period:
The way your blood sugar behaves during the night
The variation in blood sugar in different situations
The effect of a variable diet
The effect of different types of exercise
The effect of insulin dosage
You should review the test results, their distribution and average, the effect of meals as well as the statistics and graphs on a regular basis, for example, over periods of 2 or 4 weeks.
Checking which percentage of your glucose levels is within the general target range of 3.9–10.0 mmol/l, above it or below it over the selected period of time gives you a good indication of your blood sugar balance and any changes in it. The time within the target range is referred to as TiR or Time in Range. The common target is for 70% of the sensor readings to be within the target range.
On the basis of the average glucose, the glucose sensor also calculates the Glucose Management Index (GMI) corresponding with the glycated haemoglobin HbA1c value for the selected period. However, the figure is not exactly the same because the HbA1c value is derived from glycated red blood cells.
All sensor devices also enable sharing the glucose levels with another person, such as the parents of a child, a spouse or family carer, via a smartphone app.
The results of glucose sensor can be transferred to your care unit automatically or via a cloud service. It is important to record your insulin doses, carbohydrate intake, exercise and changes in your daily routine in the reading device or smartphone at least a few days at a time.
Glucose sensor is a good tool for learning solutions to different situations in the daily management of diabetes. To make the most of it, you should learn to optimise the way you use the tool. Your nurse or doctor can help you with problem-solving and interpreting the results.