London, April 18: Diabetics, beware! Self-testing
may keep your blood sugar level under control, but researchers
have warned that it could cause you more harm than good.
A series of studies published in the `British Medical
Journal` has revealed that people having type 2 diabetes, who
regularly self-test their glucose levels, face an increased
risk of suffering from tension.
Type 2 diabetes affects millions of people worldwide.
It occurs when the body stops producing sufficient insulin to
allow enough sugar to be converted into energy. Most sufferers
do not need to take insulin.
One study has found that patients who check their
blood sugar levels at home are more likely to be anxious and
depressed than those who do not, British newspaper `The Daily
Telegraph` reported today.
Regular testing does not lead to improved control of
the condition, claims another research.
Dr Maurice O`kane and colleagues from the University
of Ulster carried out the year-long trial which showed that
self-testing made no difference in the number of hypoglycaemia
attacks -- in which blood sugar falls so low that the brain
function becomes affected -- or how effectively glucose levels
were controlled.
However, the patients in the self-monitoring group did
report higher levels of depression and anxiety.
In a separate study, Dr Judit Simon and colleagues
from Oxford University said the extra cost of self-monitoring
was unlikely to provide patients with significant health
benefits over their lifetime.
Bureau Report