Prakt. lékáren. 2017; 13(3): 106-110 | DOI: 10.36290/lek.2017.013

Self-monitoring and it´s importance in modern treatment of diabetes

Kateřina Štechová

Interní klinika 2. LF UK a FN v Motole, Praha

Self-monitoring means measurement of certain parameters by a patient himself or herself with the purpose to evaluate a treatmentefficacy. In the case of diabetic patients self-monitoring is represented mainly by glycaemia measurement by using a personalglucometer. Patients are educated to know glycaemia target values and in the case of insulinotherapy they are trained to be ableto provide insulin dose adjustment according actual needs. Patients measure glycaemia not only randomly but they providesystemic glycaemia profiles to evaluate fasting glycaemia as well as postprandial values and glycaemia during night. In this articlecontinuous glucose monitoring which represents the most modern form of glycaemia self-monitoring is introduced as well.This approach, which is currently used mainly by type 1 diabetes patients, enables to further improve diabetes stabilisation andto enhance patient´s safety (mainly by early hypoglycaemia warning). By using this type of glycaemia self-monitoring there isavailable information not only on current glucose concentration but on glycaemia change as well. In this article also other typesof self-monitoring which should be provided by diabetic patients are mentioned (ketones measurement, observing the trend ofchange in body weight and waist circumference, assessment of energy intake and expenditure and blood pressure measurement).

Keywords: diabetes, self-monitoring, glycaemia, continuous glucose monitoring, ketones

Published: October 1, 2017  Show citation