monitoring control in diabetes

Last reviewed 03/2021

In diabetes the monitoring of glycaemic control is essential because of:

  • the risk of acute hypo and hyperglycaemia
  • the need to keep plasma glucose as near normal as possible on a longterm basis because of the relationship between longterm glycaemic control and the major complications of diabetes

Monitoring can be divided into:

  • patient self-monitoring of urine for glucose and ketones and blood for glucose
  • measures of longterm control for example glycosylated haemoglobin levels and the fructosamine assay