Abstract
Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) is a cornerstone in glucose management. This paper is an oversight article and describes epidemiological and practical aspects of SMBG. It looks into the worldwide frequency of diabetes, the correlation of blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), the effect of SMBG itself upon HbA1c, and confounders and sources of error of SMBG. Then it goes into recommendations for the use of SMBG in diabetes. Issues regarding the frequency of SMBG as well as goals are described. It also examines to what extent postprandial monitoring should be balanced with fasting and preprandial values.
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