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Test Strips and How Do They Work?

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Test Strips and How Do They Work?

It is imperative for patients diagnosed with diabetes to keep a track of their blood sugar levels daily. It not only helps in controlling their lifestyle but also indicates when you should consult a doctor. 

Regular checks on blood sugar levels and recording will give the doctor a transparent view of treating the patient. It is not possible to go to the doctor’s clinic every day to get a blood sugar test done. Thank God! Glucometer or diabetes test strips came into existence to act as your saviour. 

With the help of Glucometer or diabetes test strips, you can measure your glucose within minutes flawlessly. To ease up your work burden, I have come up with the below article that discusses how glucometer or diabetes test strips do your work effortlessly and why you should buy them. Cash now for test strips if you have some spare ones and you are ready to sell them. I am ready to buy some!

How Do Test Strips Work?

There are numerous test strips available in the market, and they tend to have slight differences in their working mechanism. Testing the glucose level using these strips is simple: turning the blood into an electrochemical signal and then into an electrical signal.

Next, the electrical signal converts into numerical readings. The test strips contain a layered and intricate mechanism that can turn the blood drop into an electrochemical signal, using an enzyme known as glucose oxidase.

The test strips come with various layers, and each of them has a different role. The top layer soaks the blood like a sponge. The middle layer contains three components. There is an oxidase enzyme that can react with the glucose in the blood. There is a chemical blend to stabilize the sample and speed the procedure to avoid the sample’s dissipation.

The bottom film is the reaction center circuit that transmits the electrons from the samples to the numerical reading meter.

How Accurate Are the Test Strips?

Even though the manufacturers claim to be as accurate as possible, there is always a margin error. FDA says the following about the accuracy of diabetics test strips.

  • Results at 75 mg/dl, 95% of the meter test outcomes should be under +20% of the actual blood glucose level. For instance, if a meter reads 100, your actual blood sugar level can be anywhere between 80-120.
  • Results below 75 mg/dl: 95% of the test results should be within minus or plus 15 points of the accurate blood sugar level. So if a reading is70, it only indicates that your actual blood sugar level is somewhere between 55-85.

It is an unfortunate drawback to have equipment that is both easy and small to use. Given that there is an error margin, almost all diabetic test strips are close to being equally accurate. 

Several Other Factors Determine the Accuracy of Test Strips:

  • Some brands have less control over their product qualities and more considerable batch-to-batch discrepancy than other manufacturers.
  • Sellers’ method of storing the test strips contributes to the accuracy of the strips. Humidity and temperature affect how well the enzymes in test strips work. If sellers keep the strips in a hot warehouse, it is no surprise that they show inaccurate readings.
  • How you use and store the strips also affects the accuracy of the test strips. Improper use and storage, rough handling of the diabetic test strips, and expired strips are common sources of inaccuracy in blood sugar level readings.

Can You Use Diabetic Strips After the Expiration Date?

The manufacturers say that most test strips last for 18 to 24 months. You can use test strips for a reasonable period beyond their expiration date. However, the above mentioned lifespan may vary depending on its storage conditions.

Should You Consider an Alternative?

For all the money and pain invested, you may think about an alternative to blood glucose tests. The alternative can be a urine glucose test that measures the amount of ketone and glucose in the urine. However, It is less invasive than a blood glucose test and also tends to be less accurate. It is generally used at a diagnostic laboratory when you visit for a routine check-up, performing various other tests.

Conclusion

Diabetic test strips have been around for decades and have helped various diabetes patients detect their blood sugar levels at their homes. It will also help you to figure out which food and physical activities can help make your blood glucose levels better. Connect to our healthcare marketing services to know more about health care tools and avail their benefits.

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