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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