You cannot diagnose diabetes with a glucose monitor although the glucose monitor can alert you to possible diabetes.
To diagnose diabetes a doctor will need to perform a blood test which measures your blood glucose levels.
Blood glucose meters and blood glucose monitors can track blood sugar levels but they can't confirm a diagnosis of diabetes.
The difference between a glucose sensor and a glucose meter is that a glucose sensor measures the glucose in the fluid surrounding your cells and a glucose meter measures glucose levels in your blood.
Glucose sensors is the small, implantable part of a continuous glucose monitor which measures glucose levels in the fluid that surround your cells that is called "interstitial fluid" and a glucose monitor is the device that displays the glucose reading.
When used properly and calibrated properly biosensors are often 100 percent accurate although they can be 99 percent accurate in some cases.
In general though biosensors are very accurate.
A glucose biosensor is a device which measures the concentration of glucose also known as sugar in a sample which is typically interstitial fluid or blood depending on the type of glucose sensor you're using, by using a biological component like an enzyme to react with the glucose and then produce a measurable signal which is then translated into a glucose level reading.
The glucose biosensor is primarily used in people with diabetes for diabetes management to monitor their blood sugar levels.
Glucose biosensors work by detecting glucose by converting the chemical reaction of glucose with an enzyme into an electrical signal which can be read by the meter.
The main enzyme that is used is glucose oxidase, which breaks down glucose and produces hydrogen peroxide as a byproduct.
A glucose biosensor typically consists of an electrode, an enzyme layer and a transducer which converts the biochemical reaction into a measurable signal.
A glucose sensor measures the glucose level in your interstitial fluid that is just under the skin 24 hours a day while you're wearing the glucose sensor.
A glucose sensor is also called a continuous glucose monitor which is for people that have diabetes.
However there are also different types of glucose sensors which include.
An electrochemical biosensor which uses a chemical reaction between the glucose in the sample and glucose enzyme reagents in a test strip that produces an electrical current.
The strength of the current is measured and then used to calculate your glucose level.
A photometry sensor which is a handheld analyzer and test strips measure the color change that is caused by glucose in a blood sample and the amount of color change is related to the glucose concentration.
And a continuous glucose monitor which uses a sensor that is inserted under the skin to measure your glucose levels in your interstitial fluid which is the fluid that surrounds cells below the skin.
The sensor then measures the glucose levels every couple of minutes and then sends the information to a receiver like a smartphone app, insulin pump or a receiver that is worn on the body.
A blood glucose meter measures glucose levels in your blood.
A glucose sensor on the other hand measures glucose in the fluid surrounding your cells.
Glucose travels between these two areas.