CONTOUR NEXT Blood Glucose Test Strips, 100 Count

 CONTOUR NEXT Blood Glucose Test Strips, 100 Count

•     Highly accurate testing: test strips for use with the CONTOUR NEXT range of blood glucose meters(1,2)
•     No coding techology: fast, highly accurate(1,2) results in seconds with one less step in testing and eliminates errors due to user miscoding
•     Self testing: monitor blood glucose levels with an at-home test and tiny 0.6uL blood sample
•     Second-chance sampling: allows you to apply more blood to the test strip being used, which may help prevent wasting test strips and save money(4)
•     Compatability:  can be used with any of the CONTOUR NEXT portfolio of blood glucose meters

Blood sugar test.

Blood glucose tests are an important part of diabetes care. Find out when to check your blood glucose level, how to use a blood sugar meter, and more.

If you have diabetes, self-testing your blood glucose can be an important tool in managing your diabetes and preventing complications. You can test your blood glucose at home with a portable electronic device called a blood glucose meter, which measures the level of glucose in a small drop of blood. You can also use a device called a continuous glucose monitor.

Why you should measure your blood sugar
Blood glucose testing provides useful information for managing diabetes. It can help you with the following:

• Control the effect of diabetes medications on blood glucose levels
• Identify blood glucose levels that are high or low
• Track your progress against your overall treatment goals
• Know how diet and exercise affect blood glucose levels
• Understand how other factors, such as illness or stress, affect blood glucose levels

When to check your blood sugar
Your doctor will tell you how often to check your blood glucose levels. The frequency of testing usually depends on the type of diabetes you have and your treatment plan.

Diabetes type 1

Your doctor may recommend testing your blood glucose four to 10 times a day if you have type 1 diabetes. You may need to take measurements:

• Before meals and snacks
• Before and after exercise
• Before going to bed
• During the night (sometimes)
• More often if you are sick
• More often if you change your daily routine
• More often if you start a new medicine

Type 2 diabetes

If you take insulin to control type 2 diabetes, your doctor may recommend that you test your blood glucose several times a day, depending on the type and amount of insulin you use. Testing before meals and at bedtime is usually recommended if you are taking multiple daily injections. You may only need to do a test before breakfast and dinner if you use only a long-acting or intermediate-acting insulin.

If you manage type 2 diabetes with medications without insulin or with diet and exercise alone, you may not need to test your blood glucose level daily.


What if you wear a continuous glucose monitor?

People with diabetes, especially those with type 1 diabetes, can also choose to use a continuous glucose monitor. These devices measure your blood glucose every few minutes using a sensor inserted under the skin. In general, these sensors are used for one to two weeks before they need to be changed.

The newer type of continuous glucose monitor has an implanted sensor that can detect blood glucose levels for up to three months. A body-worn transmitter sends blood glucose information wirelessly from the sensor to a smartphone app.

Some devices display the blood glucose level at all times on a receiver, smartphone, or smartwatch, and an alarm will sound if the blood glucose rises or falls too fast. Others require you to monitor your blood glucose by periodically moving the receiver across the sensor.

Most of these devices still require you to do the finger prick check to calibrate the machine. Read the user guide for your device to see if and how often you need to get checked.

Certain medications, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), albuterol (Proair HFA, Ventolin HFA, others), and lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril, Qbrelis), can interfere with the accuracy of some continuous glucose monitor readings, particularly on older models. Newer continuous glucose monitor readings do not appear to be affected by standard doses of acetaminophen (up to 1000 milligrams for an adult).


If you need to take medications that can affect the accuracy of the readings, your doctor may recommend that you check the results of the continuous glucose monitor with a standard blood glucose meter. Consult with your doctor about using a continuous glucose monitor if you are pregnant, on dialysis, or have a serious illness, as these conditions can affect the blood glucose readings on continuous glucose monitors.

Know your desired level
Ask your doctor what a reasonable blood glucose range would be for you. Your doctor will establish desirable blood glucose test results based on several factors, including the following:

• Type and severity of diabetes
• Age
• How long you have had diabetes
• Pregnancy status
• Presence of diabetes complications
• General health and presence of other diseases

The American Diabetes Association generally recommends the following blood glucose levels:

• Between 80 and 130 milligrams per deciliter (mg / dL) or 4.4 to 7.2 millimoles per liter (mmol / L) before meals
• Less than 180 mg / dL (10.0 mmol / L) two hours after meals

But the ADA notes that these goals often vary by age and personal health and should be individualized. For example, Mayo Clinic generally recommends that healthy adults younger than 60 aim for slightly lower blood glucose goals.

Some people will have slightly higher blood glucose goals, including the following:

• People who are 60 years or older
• People with other medical conditions, such as heart, lung, or kidney disease
• People who have a reduced ability to perceive low blood glucose levels (hypoglycemia ignorance)

How to measure your blood sugar
The blood glucose test requires the use of a blood glucose meter. The meter reads the amount of glucose in a small sample of blood, usually drawn from your fingertip, and placed on a disposable test strip. Even if you use a continuous glucose monitor, you will need a blood glucose meter to calibrate your continuous glucose monitor on a daily basis.

Your doctor or diabetes educator can recommend an appropriate device for you. It will also help you learn to use your meter.

Follow the instructions that come with your blood glucose meter. In general, this is how the process works:

• Wash and dry your hands well. (Food and other substances can lead to inaccurate readings.)
• Insert a test strip into the meter.
• Prick the tip of your finger, on the side, with the needle (lancet) that comes with your test kit.
• Touch the edge of the test strip to the drop of blood and hold it.
• In a few seconds, the meter will show your blood glucose level on a screen.

Some meters can test blood taken from an alternate site, such as the forearm or palm of the hand. However, these readings may not be as accurate as fingertip readings, especially after a meal or during exercise, when blood glucose levels change more frequently. The use of alternate sites to calibrate continuous glucose monitors is not recommended.



Record the results
Ask your doctor how often to record your blood glucose results. Now you can download readings from many devices to a computer.

When you record your results manually, you write down the date, time, test results, medication and dosage, and information about diet and exercise. Bring your records with the results to all your appointments with your doctor.

Talk to your doctor about what to do if your results are not within the range of your desired goals.

How to avoid problems with your meter
Blood glucose meters must be used and maintained correctly. Follow these tips to ensure proper use:

• Consult your device's user guide for instructions; procedures may vary from device to device.
• Use a blood sample of the size indicated in the user guide.
• Use only the specific test strips for your meter.
• Store the test strips according to the instructions.
• Do not use expired test strips.
• Clean the device and do quality checks according to the instructions.
• Bring the meter to your doctor's appointments to discuss any questions and to show him how you use your meter.