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Chapter 6: Technical Information ACCU-CHEK Customer Care Service Center 1-800-858-8072
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!
Infor
m
ation for Professional Caregivers
Healthcare Professionals: Follow the infection control procedures appropriate for your facility
.
D
ecisions about whether to reco
mm
end alternative site testing
(
A
S
T
)
should take into account the
m
otivation and
knowledge level of the patient and his or her abi lity to understand the considera tions relative to diabetes and A
S
T.
If you are considering reco
mm
ending A
S
T for your patients, you need to understand that there is a potential f or a
significant difference between fingerti p and alternative site blood glucose results. The difference in capillary bed
concentration and blood perfusion throughout the body can lead to blood sa
m
ple site-to-site di fferenc es in glucose results.
These physiological effects vary between individuals and can vary within a single i ndividual based upon his or her behavior
and relative physical condition .
O
ur studies involving A
S
T of adults with diabetes show that
m
ost persons will find their
glucose level changes
m
ore quickly in the fingers’ blood than the alternative sites’ blood. Thi s is especially i
m
portant when
glucose levels are falling or rising rapidly. If your patient is used t o
m
aking trea t
m
ent dec isions based upon fingerst ick
readings, he or she should consider the delay, or lag-ti
m
e, affecting the reading obtained fro
m
an alternative site.
We strongly recommend that people considering AST understand the following:
• A
S
T i s not reco
mm
ended during periods of rapid decreases or increases in b lood glucose levels.
• A
S
T i s not reco
mm
ended for people with a history of recurrent hypoglyce
m
ia, who suspect that their blood glucose is
extre
m
ely low, or who are unaware of hypoglyce
m
ic events.
•
S
tudies show that A
S
T results i
mm
ediately before a
m
eal and near bedti
m
e are
m
ore si
m
ilar to fingertip results.
• NEVER ignore sy
m
pto
m
s that
m
ay be due to low or high blood gl ucose.
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