Short-term 2–4-week sensor use helps with care planning. For example, if the glycated haemoglobin HbA1c or morning blood sugar is not within the target range, glucose sensor can help find out the time of the day when blood sugar increases too much or whether there is an underlying asymptomatic hypoglycaemia.
With regard to short-term use of glucose sensor, it is important to record all factors that affect blood sugar. This makes it possible to compare them with changes in blood sugar and correctly interpret changes in the blood sugar level. In practice, this means recording all meals and the related amounts of carbohydrates, blood sugar medication and insulin doses, exercise and its strenuousness as well as any days of illness.
Sensor can be used short-time, for instance, 1–2 weeks before upcoming appointment. Then after the changes in treament, new short-time sensor use can be used toassess how the changed have worked.