Voice of the Diabetic

Voice of the Diabetic

Back|

Next|

Table of Contents|

Home

NEW FDA BLOOD-TEST GUIDELINES

A number of new glucose monitors have offered the opportunity

to test blood drawn from sites other than the fingers. These meters work, but

the Food and Drug Administration has been concerned about the "comparability"

of blood glucose tests drawn from the fingers and from alternate sites such

as the forearm, the upper leg, or elsewhere on the body. Research has been completed,

and new guidelines issued.

* Under certain conditions, blood glucose test results obtained

using samples taken from the arm may differ significantly from fingertip samples.

* The conditions in which these differences are most likely

to occur are when your blood glucose is changing rapidly, such as following

a meal, an insulin dose, or associated with physical exercise.

* When blood glucose is changing rapidly, fingertip samples

show these changes more quickly than arm samples.

* When your blood glucose is falling, testing with a fingertip

sample may identify a hypoglycemic (low blood sugar ) level sooner than a test

with an arm sample.

* Use arm samples only for testing prior to or more than two

hours after: meals, insulin dosing, or physical exercise.

* Testing performed within two hours after a meal, an insulin

dose, or physical exercise, or whenever you feel your glucose levels may be

changing rapidly, should be done from the fingertip.

* You should also use fingertip testing whenever you have a

concern about hypoglycemia (insulin reactions), such as when driving a car,

particularly if you suffer from hypoglycemia unawareness (lack of symptoms that

indicate an insulin reaction), as arm testing may fail to detect hypoglycemia.

What You Should Do:

* Routine testing before meals can be done either at fingertip

or the arm.

* Consult your healthcare professional before you begin using

the arm for testing.

Back to Top