Many diabetics have become highly dependent on the home test device, to check their sugar level.
The accuracy of measuring devices varies according to various factors that can affect the correct result of the examination.
temperature
The accuracy of the result of measuring blood sugar is affected by the difference in temperature, as the result is more accurate if the measurement is at room temperature.
As for the need to measure the sugar in very hot or cold conditions, refer to the user guide attached with the device to find out the appropriate temperature to obtain an accurate and correct result.
moisture and food
Humidity affects the accuracy of the test result. Doctors are advised to make sure that the test strip box remains tightly closed following use, and it is preferable to avoid measuring in cases of severe air humidity.
It also affects the measurement following eating, which causes high and inaccurate readings, and it is recommended to wait at least two hours following eating.
coding errors
There are some devices that require a coding number to be entered before the measurement, and when the number is entered wrong, it affects the accuracy of the analysis.
Also, some of them allow blood sample to be taken from sites other than the fingers of the hands and may not lead to an accurate result, considering the fingers are the most accurate places for measurement.
the amount of blood
The amount of blood is closely related to the result of the examination, when a small amount is placed on the strip, this may lead to an incorrect result, and sometimes a message appears indicating an error in the reading.
The presence of germs and dirt on the fingers affects the accuracy of the examination, so hands should be washed and dried well before the test is performed.
skin dryness
Not getting the necessary amounts of fluids throughout the day may cause the skin to dry out, which may affect the result of the examination, so doctors advise getting the amount of water the body needs.
the right way
The correct way to check for an accurate result is to wash your hands well with alcohol or soapy water and then dry them.
Then the finger is placed on a hard surface, and the device is used to prick the finger, then the finger is squeezed and a drop of blood is placed directly on the test strip, then the result of the examination appears on the screen of the device.