Blood glucose meter
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An early blood glucose meter |
A
blood glucose meter is a small, portable, battery-powered device for personal or professional
blood glucose monitoring. The device is used by
diabetics, who need to be able to determine and track blood glucose levels to maintain their health.
A specially treated test strip containing reactive chemicals is placed inside a blood glucose meter. A drop of blood is then taken from the fingertip or an alternate site(thigh, calf, forearm, upper arm can be used on certain meters)by using a
lancing device, which shoots a sterile lancet into the skin with the press of a button. The blood sample is placed on the opposite end or top of the test strip, depending on the model of blood glucose meter. The blood reacts with the chemicals in the test strip causing a small electronic pulse to be sent into the meter which then calculates the level of glucose in the blood sample and shows the result in a
digital display.
Different makes of meters offer a variety of functions and data management capabilities to match individual testing needs. Newer models of meters, similar to the
Freestyle Flash and
Precision Xtra feature one-step sampling and readout: the chemically-treated strip is placed in the machine, and the machine placed against the blood sample on the skin. The strip automatically "wicks" the blood into the strip, and the meter then gives a reading. Among other advantages, this permits the use of smaller specimen volumes, faster testing times, and discreetness for the testing individual.
Newer meters offer on screen averages for weeks past, and can hold hundreds of previous test results with time and date, virtually eliminating the need to keep a manual log of readouts.
Some meters offer alternate site testing, which allows a consumer to test on sites other than the fingertips, which can become sore and callused over time.
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Blood glucose monitoring*
Blood-sampling deviceFreestyle Flash Popular Glucose Monitor review.
