Challenges and opportunities in diabetes care: improving outcomes with education, disease management, and new...

In summary, point-of-care testing of beta-hydroxybutyrate concentrations, whether in the home or the physician's office, augments blood glucose monitoring and serves as an important tool for the routine management of diabetes. Through the timely use of beta-hydroxybutyrate monitoring, patients may be able to avert episodes of DKA, preventing significant morbidity and potential mortality. Furthermore, health care systems can be spared the substantial expense of hospital treatment of DKA and its consequences. The challenge for diabetes professionals comes with the need to establish blood ketone monitoring a routine part of diabetes care, similar in importance to blood glucose monitoring for patients with insulin-treated diabetes.