The Blood Glucose Meter - A History Of
The glucose meter is a device that is used to measure the blood levels of glucose.
This device also known as a glucometer is primarily used by people who have been diagnosed with diabetes and need to monitor their blood glucose level.
Blood is obtained from the patient via a small prick on the finger using a lancet.
The blood is then placed on a test strip and inserted into the blood glucose meter.
The meter then displays the level in mg/dl or any other reading that it is calibrated to display.
The glucose meter revolutionized the in home care of patients with diabetes, as they were able to determine their blood glucose level in a matter of seconds.
This has lead to better disease management, which has lowered the risks for diabetics to the long term and short risks associated with elevated sugar levels or hyperglycemia.
However, blood glucose meters are a new gadget having been introduced within the past 40 years.
Early blood glucose monitors relied on reflected light to determine the amount of glucose.
They were bulky, expensive, and heavy and found mostly in hospitals, unlike current meters that are inexpensive small and effective.
These early devices tested glucose in the blood or urine of people suffering from diabetes.
The predecessor for current devices was first developed by in 1962 by Clark and Lyons at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital.
The device relied on the electrochemical reaction reactions of glucose and the glucose enzyme or better known as electrochemical sensors.
The blood glucose monitor relied on the reaction between Glucose Oxidase (enzyme), Glucose (in the blood), and oxygen.
The reaction produced gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide.
The meter measured the change in oxygen levels, which was directly related to the amount of glucose in the blood sample.
The early blood glucose monitor had reproducibility issues i.
e.
they were unable to reproduce their results consistently.
They did however lay the important foundation in the history of the development of glucose meters.
In 1973, the glucose meter analyzed the amount of hydrogen peroxide amperometrically (uses amperes).
The next glucose meter developed at about the same time relied on a color.
The device measured the color of the test strip after the glucose in the blood reacted with the glucose oxidase coated strip.
It took more than a decade for the glucose meters to advance to the current home use friendly monitors to help in the management of diabetes.
The modern glucose meter uses an electric potential that is between two electrodes.
The current that goes between the two is converted to a concentration reading.
The testing strips contain the glucose enzyme acts as the first electrode.
The advances in digital technology served well in the history of glucose meters.
Advances in silicon chips, sensor technology, and thick film sensor technology led to the glucose monitors currently available.
These advances have led to small hand held point-of-care with significantly reduced result time readings.
The newer meters offer continuous glucose monitoring and are used in conjunction with an insulin pump.
As technology advances, the history of glucose monitors is an ongoing saga.
The future promises glucose monitors with pain free blood extracting devices with the ability to draw minuscule amount of blood from above the nerve cells.
The blood glucose monitor will be more accurate and offer readings faster due to the continual advances in technology.
This device also known as a glucometer is primarily used by people who have been diagnosed with diabetes and need to monitor their blood glucose level.
Blood is obtained from the patient via a small prick on the finger using a lancet.
The blood is then placed on a test strip and inserted into the blood glucose meter.
The meter then displays the level in mg/dl or any other reading that it is calibrated to display.
The glucose meter revolutionized the in home care of patients with diabetes, as they were able to determine their blood glucose level in a matter of seconds.
This has lead to better disease management, which has lowered the risks for diabetics to the long term and short risks associated with elevated sugar levels or hyperglycemia.
However, blood glucose meters are a new gadget having been introduced within the past 40 years.
Early blood glucose monitors relied on reflected light to determine the amount of glucose.
They were bulky, expensive, and heavy and found mostly in hospitals, unlike current meters that are inexpensive small and effective.
These early devices tested glucose in the blood or urine of people suffering from diabetes.
The predecessor for current devices was first developed by in 1962 by Clark and Lyons at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital.
The device relied on the electrochemical reaction reactions of glucose and the glucose enzyme or better known as electrochemical sensors.
The blood glucose monitor relied on the reaction between Glucose Oxidase (enzyme), Glucose (in the blood), and oxygen.
The reaction produced gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide.
The meter measured the change in oxygen levels, which was directly related to the amount of glucose in the blood sample.
The early blood glucose monitor had reproducibility issues i.
e.
they were unable to reproduce their results consistently.
They did however lay the important foundation in the history of the development of glucose meters.
In 1973, the glucose meter analyzed the amount of hydrogen peroxide amperometrically (uses amperes).
The next glucose meter developed at about the same time relied on a color.
The device measured the color of the test strip after the glucose in the blood reacted with the glucose oxidase coated strip.
It took more than a decade for the glucose meters to advance to the current home use friendly monitors to help in the management of diabetes.
The modern glucose meter uses an electric potential that is between two electrodes.
The current that goes between the two is converted to a concentration reading.
The testing strips contain the glucose enzyme acts as the first electrode.
The advances in digital technology served well in the history of glucose meters.
Advances in silicon chips, sensor technology, and thick film sensor technology led to the glucose monitors currently available.
These advances have led to small hand held point-of-care with significantly reduced result time readings.
The newer meters offer continuous glucose monitoring and are used in conjunction with an insulin pump.
As technology advances, the history of glucose monitors is an ongoing saga.
The future promises glucose monitors with pain free blood extracting devices with the ability to draw minuscule amount of blood from above the nerve cells.
The blood glucose monitor will be more accurate and offer readings faster due to the continual advances in technology.
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