59
• Wash your hands before obtaining a blood
sample.
• Never use your meter with blood that has
been collected in a gray top test tube.
• Use fresh capillary blood only.
You may still have a variation from the result
because blood glucose levels can change
signicantly over short periods, especially if you
have recently eaten, exercised, taken medication
or experienced stress.
1
In addition, if you have
eaten recently, the blood glucose level from a
nger stick can be up to 3.9 mmol/L higher than
blood drawn from a vein (venous sample) used
for a lab test.
2
Therefore, it is best to fast for eight (8) hours
before doing comparison tests. Factors such as
the amount of red blood cells in the blood (a high
or low hematocrit) or the loss of bodily uids
(severe dehydration) may also cause a meter
result to be different from a laboratory result.
References:
1
Surwit, R.S., and Feinglos, M.N.:
Diabetes Forecast (1988), April, 49-51.
2
Sacks, D.B:“Carbohydrates.” Burtis,C.A, and
Palmdoc 2 User Man.indd 59 24/08/2017 10:49
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