Home Blood Glucose Test

Blood Glucose, Home Monitoring

What Affects the Test

Reasons you may not be able to have the test or why the results may not be helpful include:

• Alcohol in the drop of blood. If you clean your skin with rubbing alcohol, let the area dry completely before sticking it with the lancet.
• Water or soap on your finger.
• Squeezing your fingertip.
• A drop of blood that is either too large or too small.
• Very low (below 40 mg/dL or 2.2 mmol/L) or very high (above 400 mg/dL or 22.2 mmol/L) blood sugar levels.
• Humidity or a wet test strip. Do not store your test strips in the bathroom. When you remove a strip from the bottle, promptly secure the lid back on the bottle to prevent humidity from damaging the unused strips.

Proper care of the blood sugar testing equipment is important to ensure safety and to get accurate results.

• Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
• Do not drop or deliberately bump your meter.
• Do not store your meter in a very hot or very cold place.
• Clean your meter regularly, and change the batteries as instructed.

Go to previous section	Go to top of page	Go to next section
Author:	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS	Last Updated: July 25, 2007
Medical Review:	Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Alan C. Dalkin, MD - Endocrinology
© 1995-2008 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.