10 elements of blood glucose meter purchase
Regular blood glucose monitoring at home with a blood glucose meter is the basis for effective control of blood glucose levels. There are many blood glucose meters available in the market, so how to choose a trustworthy blood glucose meter? The following 10 points are the issues that should be considered when buying a blood glucose meter.
The principle of testing blood glucose meter is mainly divided into two kinds: photochemical method and electrochemical method. The photochemical method of blood glucose meter is cheaper, but the detection head is exposed to the air, which is easily contaminated and affects the test results, and the error range is plus or minus 0, 8. Therefore, the photochemical method of blood glucose meter must often clean the light hole, and it is recommended to do a calibration at the maintenance station after two years of use. The electrochemical blood glucose meter can avoid contamination, and the error range is plus or minus 0.2. Under normal use, calibration is not required.
The blood glucose test strips used in blood collection method blood glucose test are specially matched with each brand of blood glucose meter and cannot be used universally among the brands. Currently, there are two types of blood glucose test strips on the market: blood drip type and siphon type. In the case of blood drip type blood glucose test strips, the blood sample needs to be added to the test strip, and too many drops, too few drops or inaccurate position will affect the test value. The blood glucose test strip with siphon automatic blood aspiration method requires less blood sample, and the amount of sample can be controlled automatically, and the test strip has a confirmation point that can show whether the blood is the right amount.
The test mode and button of the blood glucose meter is very important. The fully automatic test process means that the test strip can be automatically turned on after inserting the test strip, enter the test program to display the test result after adding the blood sample, and automatically turn off the test strip and store the test result automatically after pulling out the test strip, which is simple to use and helps provide more accurate test results. Sometimes patients need to adjust the necessary calibration code, query the stored results and delete the stored results of the blood glucose meter, therefore, it is necessary for the blood glucose meter to have the appropriate number and size of buttons with clear functional distinction.
Power supply The blood glucose meter generally needs a large enough voltage to ensure the normal operation of the chip, therefore, its power supply generally uses button batteries or even special batteries. However, it is difficult to replace the button battery and special battery, resulting in some blood glucose meters cannot be used normally after purchase. At present, some blood glucose meters can be used with one common seventh battery, which is more convenient to use.
After the test result memory storage function, the memory storage of the test result helps to understand the change of blood glucose of the patient within a period of time. Therefore, the appropriate storage capacity is very necessary.
Automatic temperature correction kinetic energy is the basis of the test, regardless of electrochemical or photochemical method, enzyme reaction. The enzyme reaction is greatly affected by the temperature, therefore, it is better to have a built-in temperature sensor in the blood glucose meter, which can automatically perform temperature correction to ensure that the test results are not affected by the temperature at the time of testing.
The packaging method of blood glucose test strips Blood glucose test strips are sensitive to the humidity environment in which they are stored, and the test values will be inaccurate when the test strips are damp. Therefore, most bottled test strips require that the test strips be used up within three months after opening the test strip bottle, and each time the bottle cap is opened, the test strip must be used up very quickly. Therefore, it is best for individual users to use test strips packaged in single sticks.
The size of the display glucose meter should meet the needs of the operation during the test, too large and too small are undesirable. It is better to hold it steadily with one hand and can be operated easily by yourself. At the same time, the appropriate size of the blood glucose meter can ensure that it provides a large enough display, so that even middle-aged and elderly patients do not have to worry about not being able to see the test results.
Price is not the most important thing in the purchase of blood glucose meter, the key is the quality, but generally the better blood glucose meter is up to $1000, which is an extra burden for many families and needs to be measured comprehensively. In fact, the price of test strips is more important. The instrument is a one-time cost, but the purchase of test strips is long-term. Choosing the test strips that can be supplied steadily and economically for a long time can save a lot of economic expenses.
After-sales service should understand the after-sales service of blood glucose meter and whether the supply of test strips is in place to prevent the situation of “cooking without rice”.
After considering the above factors, I believe you will be able to buy an accurate, simple and economical blood glucose meter suitable for your use.
Glucose meter selection guide
Blood glucose meters have been invented by Tom Clemens since 1968. The blood glucose meter has been invented by Tom Clemens since 1968.
There are two types of portable blood glucose meters, one is blood drip type (also called blood wiping type) and the other is blood suction test.
The blood glucose meter of the blood drip type generally takes a larger amount of blood, which is painful and more painful to the patient. This type of blood glucose meter blood collection volume to master, if the blood collection is too much, will affect the test results, if the blood collection volume is not enough, the operation failure will waste test paper, this kind of blood glucose meter is mostly photoelectric type. At present, the most sold blood glucose meters in the market are Johnson & Johnson’s steady doubling type and Roche’s full series of blood glucose meters.
The blood glucose meter of the blood suction type, the test paper will control the blood volume by itself, and there will be no deviation because of the blood volume, and it is easy to operate. At present, there are more blood glucose meters sold in the market, such as Johnson & Johnson, Roche Superior, Kyoto 1640, Excel JPS5, and Abbott’s blood glucose meter (including Risutane).
All the blood glucose meter brands add up to twenty to thirty, Johnson & Johnson, Roche, Kyoto, Abbott, Yicheng, Sanno, will be good, Ritter, Dr. Tang, Beltone, Bayer, Pulse, Shijiale, Taixin, Anmi, Golden Magpie, Wuding, Ixin, Aikang, Houmed, Compex, Tide, Prestige, Hypoguard and BD blood glucose monitor and so on. The blood glucose meter market will face the final reshuffle.
In fact, the imported blood glucose meters have basically solved the problem of accuracy, even the JPS5 blood glucose meter of domestic Beijing Yicheng, as long as it is strictly operated, the accuracy will not exceed 10% compared with the blood glucose value of venous blood (at present, the State Drug Administration has not yet formulated a unified performance standard, nor is there a clear standard stipulating the error range of blood glucose meters). Of course, the results of all home blood glucose meters can only be used as clinical reference.
Then how should we choose the blood glucose meter according to our needs? The following points are available for reference in the general direction.
(1) For patients who seldom measure blood glucose (diabetic patients should monitor blood glucose more often if their blood glucose is not well controlled or if they need to change their treatment), they can use individually packaged test strips, which are easy to keep and will not affect the test results after a long storage time within the normal storage time. Such blood glucose meters are Kyoto, Abbott, Yicheng blood-sucking blood glucose meters, etc.
(2) For patients who often test blood glucose and are afraid of pain, they can choose blood glucose meters with less blood collection volume at present, because the blood collection volume is less, so the tying is shallower and the pain is less. The typical representative of this kind of blood glucose meter is Lysostom, which not only collects less blood, but also can collect blood in other parts of the body where the pain is not obvious. Of course, the blood collection pen of Roche blood glucose meter has its unique painless patent, and the pain of blood collection is also very little, and other blood glucose meters with less blood collection volume can also be considered.
(3) Patients who want to choose the blood glucose meter with cheap test paper and high accuracy for economic reasons can consider the domestic blood glucose meter, the price of the test paper of the domestic blood glucose meter is no way to compare with the imported blood glucose meter, the typical representative is Beijing Yicheng and Changsha Sanno blood glucose meter, which is the pride of Chinese people.
It is recommended that patients should master 5 major elements when purchasing.
1, accuracy, should try to be similar to the test value of the same time venous blood sampling, not too much difference.
2, look at the service, should understand the after-sales service of the blood glucose meter, the supply of test paper is in place.
3, look at the operation of the machine, such as whether the use of blood collection needle is convenient, the amount of blood needed, the time of machine reading, the size and clarity of the display, the convenience of battery replacement or not, whether the machine is beautiful, how the size and so on.
4, look at the price, not only to see the price of the blood glucose meter, but also according to their own situation, choose the acceptable price of test paper, if you feel that the price of the test paper used exceeds your normal budget, please choose those with brand, test paper price and relatively cheap blood glucose meter. Because for patients who need to measure blood glucose frequently, the expenditure of test paper is also an extra burden, which needs to be measured comprehensively.
5, do not buy water goods because of greedy cheap, smuggled blood glucose meter has been aimed at the huge consumer market in China, the price of water goods blood glucose meter is nearly half of the market price of genuine goods, no Chinese manual and Chinese warranty card, can not guarantee the after-sales service of the product.