Table of Contents
Advertisement
Alternative Site Testing (AST)
Important: There are limitations for doing AST (Alternative Site
Testing).
● AST results should not be used for CGM calibration.
● AST results should not be used for insulin
dosing calculations.
Please consult your healthcare professional
before you begin AST.
What is AST?
Alternative site testing (AST) refers to when
individuals check their blood glucose levels
using areas of the body other than fingertip.
This system allows AST at the palm, the fore-
arm, the upper arm, the calf or the thigh with
results as reliable as those obtained from fingertip testing.
What's the advantage?
Fingertips feel pain more readily because they are full of nerve end-
ings (receptors). Since nerve endings are not so condensed at other
body sites, tests performed there will be less painful.
When to use AST?
Food, medication, illness, stress and exercise can affect blood glu-
cose levels.Capillary blood at the fingertip reflects these changes
faster than capillary blood at other sites. Therefore, when testing
blood glucose during or immediately after a meal or physical exer-
cise, results from AST and fingertip may be significantly different.
12
Advertisement
Table of Contents
