Blood glucose monitoring

Most people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes do not need to monitor their own blood glucose levels, however, for people with type 1 diabetes, pregnant women or those with type 2 using insulin, other injections for diabetes or medications causing low blood glucose, being able to check glucose levels at home is important.

Some people outside these categories, who have not been prescribed a glucose meter by their doctor, still find it useful to purchase a meter with lancets and test strips from a chemist for their own use, as it helps them understand the impact of food choices and behaviours on capillary blood glucose.

Look below to see the normal blood glucose ranges for people without diabetes and the blood glucose targets that a person with type 2 diabetes should aim for:

People with type 2 diabetes will have their own individual blood glucose targets. Your primary care or specialist diabetes team will discuss your blood glucose targets with you.

Finger prick testing

Watch the video below on how to check your blood glucose using a meter:

Home blood glucose testing is helpful for people with diabetes because it can help to determine hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose) or hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose) and allow users to take appropriate action.

Please click on and complete the ‘Taking control of diabetes quiz’ below before moving to the next section.