Using Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose in Noninsulin-Treated Type 2 Diabetes

In Brief Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) is considered an essential component of diabetes self-management. However, research has yielded mixed results regarding the value of SMBG for people with type 2 diabetes who are not treated with insulin. Some studies have shown no benefit, whereas others have demonstrated improved A1C and behavior change linked to SMBG in a diabetes self-management education program that teaches how to use SMBG data. When used appropriately in these patients, SMBG can help to identify factors associated with hyper- and hypoglycemia, facilitate learning, and empower patients to make changes to improve their glycemic control. SMBG can also be useful to health care providers, who can teach patients to monitor glucose at specific times to assess the effectiveness of medications and guide medication management. All people with type 2 diabetes should be given the opportunity to learn about the value of and skills required to monitor blood glucose as appropriate to their specific needs.