Blood glucose test strips are one of the essential features when it comes to the use of diabetic persons; they are easy to use and help to determine blood sugar levels. However, the reliability of these test strips is of paramount importance since it concerns diabetes treatment. One common question users often ask is: Is it possible to use expired blood glucose test strips? This is very dangerous as expired test strips yield wrong results which may in turn affect important decisions such as the insulin dosage, and the changes to be made in the diet among other things. This article looks at the causes of error on expired blood glucose test strips, the dangers of their usage, and how one could overcome them to live a better life with diabetes.
Various factors affect the expired blood glucose test strips in terms of their accuracy. Some strips may still give the readings after expiring, but their reliability cannot be ascertained.
As has been stated above, the main reason for the inaccuracy of the expired test strips is the deterioration of the enzymes on the strip. These enzymes are said to act on the glucose present in your blood and as the body ages or the condition worsens, these enzymes are known to wear out. Old strips may still give a reading, but it will be very much above or below your real blood glucose level.
Even before it gets to the expiration date, the enzymes can be rendered inactive by exposure to heat, humidity, and direct sunlight. If the strips are exposed to these conditions using the strips after the expiration date may even give a less reliable result.
It is also necessary to understand that there are slight variations in the procedure of manufacturing batches of test strips. But these differences are usually minor and the strips which have been expired for a long time may undergo degradation at a different rate from the strips of the same type produced in the same batch. What we are saying is that whereas one batch of these electrodes may still be reasonably accurate after expiry, the next batch may not.
Some glucose meters have a message that will alert the user when he/she is using the wrong type of test strip; this feature will also be able to identify expired test strips and will show an error message if an expired strip is used. But, not all these meters possess this aspect. When strips become expired and used on a meter that does not display the date of expiration, the readings are off and if one will use that to adjust insulin dosage, it becomes lethal.
The following are among the risks that are associated with the use of expired blood glucose test strips, especially in diabetes; This is because if the readings are wrong, then wrong decisions will be made on insulin dosage, food intake, and other lifestyle changes. Here are some potential risks:
If an expired test strip gives a high reading then you may end up injecting insulin to the body than what is required. This may lead to hypoglycemia (low blood glucose), which may lead to dizziness, confusion, shakiness, and sometimes loss of consciousness or convulsions.
On the other hand, if the test strip has expired, it may show a low figure which makes you give less insulin than required. This can cause high blood sugar levels or hyperglycemia and some of the signs include increased thirst, fatigue, and difficulty in focusing the eyes when urinating often. High blood glucose levels also have other effects for instance Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) if maintained in the body for quite a long period.
Wrong test strips should not be used over time they may lead to neuropathy, renal disease, vision impairment, and cardiovascular diseases. To minimize such risks it becomes important that one has to ensure that they balance their blood sugar levels.
The signs that may make you conclude that your test strips are off include:
Indeed, this is the fact that sometimes the result of the expired test strips is not wrong. At other times, the discrepancies may be small and, thus are most probably going to be overlooked by the people involved. However, certain signs may point to the fact that test strips may not be as accurate as before:
To avoid the risks associated with expired blood glucose test strips, here are some steps you can take to ensure that your readings are as accurate as possible: To reduce the chances of the above-mentioned effects of expired blood glucose test strips, the following measures should be taken to get the best results:
It is recommended that before using a test strip, one should ensure to check the expiry date every time one wishes to use it. Do not use any of the strips that have become bad and no matter that they seem to be alive, discard them. Usually, the expiry date should be printed on the vial and the container in which the vial is placed.
Make sure that you keep your test strips in a cool dry place where they are not exposed to light, heat, and moisture. Make sure that the vial should be closed well and the strips should not be allowed to get in contact with air or moisture. Some of the ways that can be used to ensure that the strips are accurate include; it is importance of ensuring that the strips are properly stored so that they can even last longer than the expiry date.
Many of the blood glucose meters have a control solution that allows one to compare the results obtained with the test strips. This solution is like a sample blood glucose level which you can use in testing if your strips and your meter are working efficiently.
If you often employ expired strips or if your meter does not identify expired strips, then, it is time to get a new one. Certain glucose meters include features that can identify when strips have gone bad or have been stored inadequately.
If you doubt the test strips or the meter you are using, do not hesitate to contact your doctor. They are the best to advise you about the products that will work best for you in case you have a problem they can assist you.
Old blood glucose test strips can give results but the authenticity of the results cannot be ascertained. The enzymes in the strips become degraded and when used with poor storage conditions, you are exposed to wrong readings of your health status. To manage diabetes appropriately, one should ensure that he or she utilizes the test strips that have not reached their expiry date and ensure the strips are well stored.
When the expiration date is over, the enzymes in the blood glucose test strips, like glucose oxidase or glucose dehydrogenase, get denatured and hence the blood glucose level cannot be measured accurately. This degradation can make the strips to display wrong or inconclusive readings in respect to the actual glucose level in the body.
It does not matter if you keep blood glucose test strips in a cool and dry place, they are less accurate once the expiration date is due. Although the storage conditions can maintain the strips until their expiration date, it is risky to use them after they have expired as they may give a wrong reading.
Blood glucose test strips can also be tested for accuracy, using a control solution which is supplied with your glucose meter. The control solution is designed to resemble a blood sample with a specific glucose concentration so that you can check how accurately your test strips and meter work.
ANTITECK provide glucose strip production line for glucose test strips manufacturing, contact us for more information via [email protected]
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