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Tuesday, May 06, 2008 kathy asks

Q: how can 2 meters give different numbers

when you take you glucose testing how can 2 meters give different numbers, should they not all give the same

 

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5/ 7/08 9:44am

Our meters are not perfect. The FDA says they only have to be accurate within plus or minus 20%. This means that if you get a reading of 100, your BG could actually be anywhere between 80 and 120.

 

Most of us find that the meters are more accurate than that, but not perfect.

 

To test different meters, try taking 3 readings one after the other to test the consistency, or "precision."

 

Then do the same thing right after you've had blood drawn for a lab test to estimate the accuracy, or how close your meter is to lab values.

 

Then use the meter that seems to be most accurate and most precise.

 

 

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