Capillary blood glucose monitoring for type 2 diabetes can help make informed decisions about medical treatment. Multiple studies show that once optimal control is achieved in stable adults with type 2 diabetes, individuals not using insulin or medications linked to hypoglycemia do not significantly benefit from routine glucose monitoring. Unnecessary daily glucose monitoring in this population may result in potential harms, patient inconvenience, and anxiety without corresponding improvements in health outcomes.
Sources:
Cheng AYY, et al. Blood glucose monitoring in adults and children with diabetes: Update 2021. Can J Diabetes. 2021;45(7):580-587. PMID: 34511234.
Farmer AJ, et al. Meta-analysis of individual patient data in randomized trials of self-monitoring of blood glucose in people with non-insulin treated type 2 diabetes. Brit Med J. 2012;344:e486. PMID: 22371867.
Klonoff DC, et al. Consensus report: the current role of self-monitoring of blood glucose in non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2011;5(6):1529-48. PMID: 22226276.
Young LA, et al. Glucose Self-monitoring in Non-Insulin-Treated Patients With Type 2 Diabetes in Primary Care Settings: A Randomized Trial. JAMA Intern Med. 2017;177(7):920-929. PMID: 28600913.