Abstract

Many of the acute problems of diabetes can be avoided by keeping the blood glucose normal and it now seems likely that chronic complications can also be reduced by good diabetic control.¹ Control has traditionally depended on measurements of blood glucose in the clinic, of urine glucose at home and on the assessment of the patient’s symptoms. However, the achievement of normoglycaemia throughout the day requires frequent measurement of blood glucose during normal activities at home and work and for therapy to be adjusted accordingly.