How To Safely Use Glucose Meters And Test Strips For Diabetes
Subscribe: FDA Consumer Health Information Using a glucose meter to check and monitor blood sugar is a daily part of life for millions of Americans with diabetes. Glucose meters and test strips are medical devices regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. And the FDA wants to make sure you use these devices safely. Read on for advice. Beware of Buying Previously Owned Test Strips The FDA is aware that some sellers are marketing pre-owned or secondhand test strips to consumers. These are unused test strips previously owned by someone else. These pre-owned strips may be sold at lower prices when compared to new strips. For instance, you may see flyers advertising cheap test strips in your neighborhood, or you may see sellers marketing cheap test strips online. It is technically legal for people to resell their test strips. But the FDA does not recommend that you buy pre-owned test strips or that you resell your unused strips. That’s because pre-owned strips can give incorrect results—and may not be safe to use with your device. Here’s why: Test strips should be properly stored to give accurate results. If you buy pre-owned strips, it is hard to know whether the strips were stored properly. Test strips also could be expired. A lack of proper storage or using expired strips could put you at risk for getting incorrect results from your glucose meter. And incorrect results can put you at risk for serious health complications—and even death. Test strip vials that have been opened by another person may have small amounts of blood on them, which can put you at risk for infection. Pre-owned test strip vials may have been tampered with, which means that they may not be safe to use. (For instance, the expiration dates might have been changed or covered up.) Pre-ow Continue reading >>
Question - How Dangerous Is Sharing Lancet Devices? Contamination?
This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More. Question - How dangerous is sharing Lancet devices? Contamination? My 7th grade daughter used another child's lancet device and meter at school. She had forgotten her's at home. She has gotten into a lot of trouble for doing this both with us and the school. How concerned should I be that she has been cross contaminated with another child's blood? It was a drum-type lancet device and she is insisting she turned it and I know the family. Also, how much trouble should she be in with the school? So far they have suspended her for a day until we have a meeting on Tuesday. Should I expect a more severe punishment? Personally, if it were my child I wouldn't sweat it if I knew the other child or their parents. I personally think that the likelihood of infection is near zero especially if the drum was turned and if neither child has any infectious disease then the chance is zero. I would, however, discuss with him and take the opportunity to educate but I don't think it's a big deal. That's just my $0.02. I'd be on the school about that one. But then, I'm not a big fan of suspension where it isn't totally necessary. I've used someone else's lancet before. We are good friends and know each other very well, and I was low. I didn't worry about the risks since I was 14 and she was 12 and we knew we didn't have blood borne diseases. The amount of blood transfer is SO minimal as well - I think it's unlikely that anything would be transferred. Education is important and the sharing of needles and lancets is far from ideal, but I think that a suspension is too much. That's just my opinion. Continue reading >>
Blood Glucose Monitoring And Insulin Administration
Summary The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has become increasingly concerned about the risks for transmitting hepatitis B virus (HBV) and other infectious diseases during assisted blood glucose (blood sugar) monitoring and insulin administration. CDC is alerting all persons who assist others with blood glucose monitoring and/or insulin administration of the following infection control requirements: Fingerstick devices should never be used for more than one person Whenever possible, blood glucose meters should not be shared. If they must be shared, the device should be cleaned and disinfected after every use, per manufacturer’s instructions. If the manufacturer does not specify how the device should be cleaned and disinfected then it should not be shared. Insulin pens and other medication cartridges and syringes are for single-patient-use only and should never be used for more than one person Monitoring of blood glucose levels is frequently performed to guide therapy for persons with diabetes. Blood glucose monitoring and insulin administration can be accomplished in two ways: self-monitoring of blood glucose and insulin administration, where the individual performs all steps of the testing and insulin administration themselves, and assisted monitoring of blood glucose and insulin administration, where another person assists with or performs testing and insulin administration for an individual. Examples of settings where assisted monitoring of blood glucose and insulin administration may occur include: Hospitals or clinics Long term care settings such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities Senior centers Health fairs Correctional facilities Schools or camps Unsafe Practices during Blood Glucose Monitoring and Insulin Administration An underap Continue reading >>
How Can I Share My Results And Logbook?
Dario doesnt just log and track glucose levels, it charts carb intake, insulin doses, exercise, moods, and more and gives you insights to help understand what may be effecting your blood glucose. The user-centric design of the Dario app allows logbooks, timelines, and charts to be easily shared with loved ones and healthcare providers. Download the Dario App today and scroll down for more information on how to get started. For questions regarding the set up and use of your Dario Blood Glucose Monitoring System, orders, or other technical support issues, please contact our Customer Service Center at 1-800-895-5921, Monday Friday, 9AM 5PM Eastern. For general inquiries about the Dario Blood Glucose Monitoring System, please fill out the form below and a representative will reach out to you. This form is not for technical support or medical advice. For technical support issues, please call our toll free number 1-800-895-5921 for assistance. If there is an urgent medical issue, please contact your physician. Sharing your results is easy. Tap on MY DIABETES RESULTS > Tap on LOGBOOK & CHARTS > Then tap on the icon with three connected dots next to the plus symbol. SHARE LOGBOOK will appear on your screen. You can tap the gray plus symbol next to the TO to enter an email address from your phones contact list and select the time frame of reading you would like to send. You can do this in a PDF file, CSV. or PDF Summary. With Dario, you can monitor and measure blood glucose with the help of your smartphone Continue reading >>
Blood Glucose Meter Sends Results Wirelessly To Iphone®, Ipad® Or Ipod Touch®
-- New OneTouch® Verio® Sync Meter and OneTouch® Reveal™ Mobile App Brings Smart Diabetes Management to Mobile Devices -- ®, iPad® or iPod touch®. Available now, the new OneTouch® Verio® Sync Meter from LifeScan, Inc. uses Bluetooth® technology to wirelessly send blood sugar test results to these devices using the OneTouch® Reveal™ mobile app. From the OneTouch® Reveal™ mobile app’s Summary Screen, users can see their key information at a glance, including color-coded bar graphs showing the percentage of results within, above and below their personalized target ranges and14-day averages of blood sugar readings. Individuals can also access a color-coded electronic logbook that automatically displays test results over a two-week period, as well as other features that allow them to enter and view information about carbohydrates consumed, physical activity and medication. And with the OneTouch® Reveal™ mobile app’s data sharing feature, key information can be shared with healthcare professionals, caregivers or family members via text or email. “When you consider how many of us rely on our smartphones on a daily basis, managing chronic illnesses such as diabetes is a promising area for mobile health applications,” said Jeremy Pettus, MD, UCSD Department of Endocrinology. “It’s exciting to see true wireless communication brought to blood glucose monitoring. By helping patients to easily access, understand and share their blood sugar data via their iPhones, a system like the OneTouch® Verio® Sync can help lead to better self-management and more productive conversations with their healthcare professionals." For the 26 million Americans living with diabetes, regular blood sugar monitoring can play a key role in helping to detect high and low blo Continue reading >>
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Everything You Need To Know About Diabetes Test Strips
Update: A lot of our readers ask us where can they find the best deals for test strips. We personally recommend Amazon. You can check the list of selections they offer by clicking here. Blood glucose test strips play a crucial role in helping you to monitor your daily blood glucose level and giving your doctor the data to adjust your medication to control your diabetes symptoms. Without the help from these little disposable strips, life with diabetes can become even more chaotic than ever. But what exactly are these thin little plastic slip and why are they so expensive? Are there any alternative method I can use? Where can I get the best deal on these test strips? This article will answer many of your questions and concerns regarding these blood glucose test strips: Table of Contents History on Glucose Test Strips How Does the Test Strips Work Why Are the Strips So Expensive? And Why the Price Discrepancy? Why Must Diabetic Patients Use Glucometer and Test Strip? How Often Should You Administer A Blood Glucose Test? How to Find Out if Your Glucose Monitor is Accurate? How Accurate Are the Test Strips? How to Find Out if Your Glucose Monitor is Accurate? What is a Urine Glucose Test? Can’t I Use This Procedure Instead? Expiration of Test Strips Medicare Plan B Coverage for Glucose Test Strips Where to Get the Best Deal on Test Strips? Ways to Save of Test Strips How to Avoid Counterfeit Blood Glucose Test Strips Can You Reuse Test Strips? Can You Make Your Own Test Strip? 4 Most Affordable Meters How to Pick the Right Glucometer? How to Dispose Used Test Strips, Lancets, and Needles? What to Do with All These Test Strip Containers? Selling Your Glucose Test Strips A Good Idea? Odd Way to Earn Some Money Back Questions? History on Glucose Test Strips The first glucomet Continue reading >>
The Psychology Of Data Sharing
When Benny Simms comes home from school these days, his mom no longer greets him by asking about his blood glucose level. Most days, in fact, the 11-year-old Davidson, North Carolina, middle schooler doesnt mention his type 1 diabetes to her at all, and she doesnt need to ask: She already knows. Stacey Simms has no mom superpowers. The Simms family uses the Share feature on Bennys Dexcom G4 continuous glucose monitor (CGM), which allows his mom to watch his blood glucose readings in real time, from afar, using the Dexcom Follow app. The family is one of thousands participating in diabetes data sharing, a relatively new development in device technology. The Dexcom Share and other independent apps that hack CGM data help people with diabetes see their glucose readings constantly, displayed on phones, smart watches, and more. With the Dexcom Share, the CGM transmitter on Bennys body sends data to the G4 receiver he carries with him, which in turn sends the information to his phone via the Dexcom Share app. The app sends that information to the cloud, an online storage system, either over Wi-Fi or cellular service. The Dexcom Follow app on his moms phone pulls that data from the cloud. (The G4 and G4 Platinum CGMs are no longer on the market, but the G5 device also works with the Follow app, bypassing the Share tool and sending readings directly to mobile devices.) The constant stream of knowledge to his family removes some of the mystery and urgency surrounding Bennys diabetes. My favorite part about the Share is how its changed the conversation when were together, Stacey Simms says. I dont have to say to him as soon as he walks in the house, Whats your blood sugar? Whats your number? I can just look at my phone, and if I need to tell him something, I can. But I dont have Continue reading >>
Fda Approves Dexcom Share, The First Remote Mobile Communications Device Used For Continuous Glucose Monitoring (cgm)
FDA approves Dexcom SHARE, the first remote mobile communications device used for Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) San Diego, CA, October 20, 2014 Dexcom, Inc., (NASDAQ:DXCM), a leader in continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for patients with diabetes, announced today that it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its CGM remote mobile communications device: Dexcom SHARE.Dexcom SHARE, an accessory to the Dexcom G4 PLATINUM Continuous Glucose Monitoring System, uses a secure wireless connection to transmit the glucose levels of a person with diabetes to the smartphones of up to five designated recipients, or followers. These followers can remotely monitor a patients glucose information and receive alert notifications from almost anywhere via their Apple iPhone or iPod touch. With Dexcom SHARE, parents and personal caregivers can monitor a childs or loved ones glucose data from a remote location, giving them peace of mind and reassurance when they are apart. Dexcom SHARE represents a significant advance in diabetes care by allowing people with diabetes to share important glucose information with their loved ones from afar, said Terrance H. Gregg, Chief Executive Office of Dexcom. With Dexcom SHARE, users, parents and personal caregivers now have a new tool to dramatically improve how they communicate about their diabetes. Dexcom SHARE enables glucose data to be securely shared with remote viewers: The Dexcom SHARE consists of a small cradle device in which the Dexcom G4 PLATINUM is docked. The cradle also functions as a battery charger for the receiver and must be connected to an electrical outlet. The Dexcom SHARE cradle is equipped with Bluetooth technology, enabling the device to wirelessly transmit glucose levels from the Dexcom G4 PLATIN Continue reading >>
Dexcom G4 Platinum Cgm System With Share
Still the same high-performing Continuous Glucose Monitoring system, now with ShareTM technology (Bluetooth) built into the Receiver! Stay One Step Ahead of Diabetes with Dexcom Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Don’t just meter. Monitor. Only Dexcom CGM keeps you One Step Ahead of diabetes by unveiling dynamic glucose patterns that no meter can.* When it comes to glucose sensing, Dexcom sets the standard. Dexcom CGM The Dexcom G4 PLATINUM Receiver with Share has Bluetooth wireless communication built in! Through secure wireless connections, the Dexcom G4 PLATINUM Receiver with ShareTM allows remote viewing of glucose levels, trends and data between the person with diabetes and their spouse, grandparent or other loved ones from an Apple iPhone® or iPod touch®. Continue reading >>
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Infection Transmission Associated With Point Of Care Testing And The Laboratory’s Role In Risk Reduction
Go to: Abstract Lack of knowledge and confusion exists regarding safe and appropriate use of blood glucose monitoring equipment. Increasing numbers of diabetics, and exponential growth in blood glucose monitoring presents increased opportunities for infection transmission between patients. Diabetics have increased exposure to blood and blood borne pathogens from frequent blood glucose monitoring. Risk factors have been identified in infectious outbreaks and by analysis of testing practice. Point of care blood glucose meters are frequently contaminated by blood. Bacterial and viral organisms survive on surfaces and in dried blood. Instrumentation is shared between patients, and is heavily utilized in institutional settings, so that serial testing is performed on multiple patients within a short timeframe. Hand hygiene, glove changes and meter disinfection between testing events has been found to be inconsistent. Time pressure for meter usage competes with proper cleaning and disinfection procedures. Meter storage areas are frequently contaminated by blood. Multi-use lancets, improperly used for serial patient blood sampling, are a source for infection transmission. Test strips in vials, frequently contaminated by bacterial organisms, present potential hazard. The responsibility of the clinical laboratory is to insure successful implementation of practices that insure patient safety. Risk reduction strategies include single-use auto-disabling skin puncture devices for blood sampling; hand hygiene and glove change for every testing event; effective meter cleaning and disinfection for every testing event; meter use restriction to a single patient; safe practices for glucose meter storage; infection control practices to reduce contamination of blood glucose test strips or ch Continue reading >>
Cdc And Fda: Don’t Share!
It would seem to go without saying that devices used to puncture the skin — such as lancets and insulin pen needles — should never be shared by more than one person. In fact, these components are not officially considered reusable even by the same person, although as we noted in a previous post here at Diabetes Flashpoints, many people with diabetes reuse them anyway. But what about the reusable devices that these disposable components are paired with: lancing (fingerstick) devices and insulin pens? Can more than one person safely share them? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently addressed this question as it relates to devices in health-care settings. In coordinated statements, the agencies announced their position that lancing devices should never be used to obtain a blood sample from more than one person. The FDA noted that there has been a constant increase in reported instances of bloodborne infections being transmitted in health-care settings over the last 10–15 years, particularly involving the hepatitis B virus. The agency blames, in part, unclear labeling of multiple-use lancing devices for this trend. It has not always been made clear, says the agency, whether a device was approved for use on multiple patients or simply for multiple uses on the same patient. Furthermore, cleaning and disinfection instructions for these devices may have been inadequate. Therefore, even for devices the FDA previously cleared for use on multiple patients, the agencies say this practice should be discontinued. They even recommend using devices that physically cannot be reused, such as those on which the lancing blade permanently retracts after one use. But the agencies do not stop at lancing devices. They als Continue reading >>
High? What Your Glucose Meter May Know, But Isn't Sharing
Your glucose meter might be keeping secrets from you. If and when you see a message on the screen alerting you to a "High" blood sugar, the meter probably knows more than it's telling you, as in the exact numerical value associated with that warning. But the device makers decided that we don't need that information... This came to light (in our brains, at least) following the March 25 announcement that almost two million LifeScan OneTouch VerioIQ meters were being recalled across the globe. LifeScan issued warnings on three brands of its OneTouch meters, totaling over 1.8 million meters worldwide! About 90,000 of its popular VerioIQ meters here in the U.S., part of the 1.2 million of those meters sold globally, and two brands sold outside the States: the OneTouch® Verio®Pro consumer meter and VerioPro+ professional meter. The reason for the recall? The meter software isn't properly registering extremely high blood sugars. At a certain point the meter shuts down with no warning and without alerting you to the hyperglycemic danger. The number you have to reach for this to happen: 1024 mg/dL (or 56.8 mmol to those outside the U.S.)! Geez, the number 1024 is oddly specific... Like many meters, LifeScan's units only show a numerical value for anything between 20-600, while anything outside that range just displays an "Extreme Low Glucose (below 20 mg/dL)" or "Extreme High Glucose (above 600 mg/dL)" message. So, who would have thought the meter actually knows when you've tipped past 1023? Maybe our meters are smarter than we give them credit for, despite the fact that they're sometimes a bit off thanks to that pesky +/-20% accuracy standard that we don't think is good enough. Why No Numbers? LifeScan confirmed our suspicions: Yes, their meters can track your blood sugar's n Continue reading >>
When Should I Replace My Glucose Meter?
The best glucose monitor is the one that you actually put to usewhether youve had it for six months or six years. Its better to use an older meter on a regular basis than to keep a state-of-the-art meter on a shelf collecting dust. Due to annual changes in health insurance plans, the cost of testing supplies for the exact same meter can vary dramatically from one year to another. If the cost of your supplies means youre not checking your blood glucose as often as necessary, its time to look around for more affordable options. First, make sure you know the brand of glucose meter strips with the lowest copay under your insurance plan. Paying attention to test strip cost is important because thats where the bulk of the cost of blood glucose testing comes from. If your copay or co-insurance cost is high, consider other glucose meters that use low-priced test strips. Note that some store-brand meter systems might be cheaper per month without a prescription than what you would pay for prescribed strips your insurance carrier prefers. If test strip cost isnt an issue, ask your doctor about any free meters available from the office. Theres more to meters than just measuring glucose. Improvements over the years have focused on saving time and easing the burden of daily diabetes management. Generally, newer meters provide readings more quickly, require less blood, and dont require coding each time you open a new vial of test strips. In addition, newer glucose meters allow people to transmit their readings wirelessly to smartphone apps and share their diabetes data with their support network. These apps also help users see and better understand trends, such as glucose levels before or after a meal or during exercise. The accuracy and reliability of your meter is a big deal. Unfor Continue reading >>
Sending 'real Time' Blood Sugar Readings Directly To Your Doctor
Sending 'Real Time' Blood Sugar Readings Directly to Your Doctor A Stanford University pilot project tests Apples HealthKit Mira Mastoras , an 18-year-old college freshman with type 1 diabetes, runs 3 to 4 miles most days of the week. Too often, she faced a frustrating problem: Her blood sugar would sink during a workout, forcing her to stop and eat. But thanks to new technology that wirelessly sends her glucose readings to her doctor in real time, she no longer has to miss a step. We figured out what I should eat before a run and when I should turn off my insulin pump so my glucose levels dont fall, explains Mastoras, a biology major at the University of California, Davis. Its made a big difference and its so easy I dont have to hook up my monitor to my computer or write down my numbers to show them to my doctor. He sees them the same day and we can message about whats happening and what to do. Mastoras is one of 10 teens and children with type 1 who participated in a recent Stanford University pilot test of Apples HealthKita software platform that gathers and shares health datafor tracking blood-sugar levels. Their physician, Rajiv Kumar, MD, a clinical assistant professor of pediatrics in Endocrinology and Diabetes at Stanford Childrens Health and a pediatric endocrinologist at Lucile Packard Childrens Hospital Stanford, wanted to find out whether access to a stream of blood-sugar data could help him, his patients and their caregivers deal with worrisome and sometimes dangerous blood-sugar swings more swiftly and effectively. Nick Jonas on Flying the Diabetes Flag High! We started the pilot project last March, says Dr. Kumar. Its so successful that in late 2015 we offered it to all of our patients. More and more are signing up every week. Diabetes is very challengin Continue reading >>
How Easy Is It To Get Hiv From Blood To Blood Transfer? (sharing Blood Glucose Meters)
How easy is it to get HIV from blood to blood transfer? (Sharing blood glucose meters) Of course this has been asked a billion times, but bear with me while I ask again. I was checking my blood sugar and I smudged up some fresh blood, still glistening, on my meter. A memory came to me from years and years ago, when I first started checking. I asked my boss if I could borrow his meter, and he protested very strongly, which I remember being weird. But he let me use it. A few years later, he died of AIDS. It occurred to me that possible that was the reason, although I don't think anyone knew of it or its vector at the time, but I'm hazy as to the years. I'm sure if they did, and he did, for sure he would never have let me use it. (Actually, to this day I don't know if people lend or borrow meters, for any reason. It's never come up.) Remember, I used/handled it as I pricked my finger. 1. If my blood supply, although locally pumping out, touched it have been possible to contract HIV? (Assuming for the sake of argument he was infected then.) 1a) Is the "locally pumping out" idea baloney across the board for the capillary passage of blood, ie that there is no molecular ingress? I think so, based on my experience with infections, all the more so with diabetics with lousy capillaries. 2. If his (for the sake of argument) then-infected blood was "wet" or "dry?" The risk of transmission from a needlestick injury with a needle contaminated with HIV infected material is 0.3% (3 in 1000). The risk of transmission of via touching a meter with HIV infected blood on it (and presumably in small enough quantities as not to be obviously blood-smeared) must surely be lower than that 0.3%. I don't think capillary blood is really pumping out and most advice these days is not to try to "milk Continue reading >>
