Diabetic Test Strip

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Diabetic Test Strip, also known as glucose test strip, is a small, thin, one-time use,  pieces of plastic designed to aid diabetic patient in monitoring their blood glucose levels.

How does a Diabetic Test Strip works?
Test strips are easy to handle, individually wrapped and come with visual comparison color charts.  A drop of blood, usually taken from the fingertip, and placed on the end of a specially coated strip. The strip is saturated with glucose oxidase, an enzyme that interacts with glucose. When a drop of blood is placed on the strip, the glucose oxidase chemically reacts with the blood glucose, and the resultant reaction produces a color change on the strip. Depends of the brand and type of test strip you have, some are able to show the reaction within seconds.

One can tell if the level of glucose present in the blood is low, high, or normal in one of two ways.

• The first is by comparing the color on the end of the strip to a color chart that is printed on the side of the test strip container. The higher the glucose level, the greater the reaction and the more dramatic the color change.

• The second is by inserting the strip into a small machine, called a blood glucose meter, a small machine that provides a digital readout of the blood glucose level.

This particular test was shown in clinical trials to be 94 to 99.95 percent accurate in identifying normal and abnormal glucose levels in the blood. For accurate results, diabetic patient should adhere to diabetic test strip expiration dates and stored  them at room temperature and away from moisture.

When and How frequent to conduct blood test?
Diabetic patient should test their blood at least once a day, usually before a meal. And may need to do extra tests:

• When they are sick.

• When they are starting a new medicine, and need to know how well it is working.

• If there are symptoms of low blood sugar

What is the purpose of the blood test?
Monitoring blood sugar levels makes diabetes easier to manage and helps diabetic patient to keep an eye on their condition.

• Hyperglycemia or blood sugar that is too high can make diabetic patient feel sick. And if it stays high for long, it can cause problems to eyes, feet, kidneys and heart.

• Hypoglycemia or blood sugar that is too low can make them feel sick too, and even pass out.

Optimal diabetes management involves patients keeping track of their own blood glucose testing at home. By keeping a record of their own blood glucose measurements and noting the effect of food and exercise, patients can modify their lifestyle to better control their diabetes. For patients on insulin, patient involvement is important in achieving effective dosing and timing.

Prolonged and elevated levels of glucose in the blood, which is left unchecked and untreated will, over time, result in serious diabetic complications and sometimes even death. It is therefore highly important for a diabetic patient to test their blood levels either daily or every few days using diabetic test strip to see what levels they are achieving over a given period of time.

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