About Alternate Site Testing (Ast) - Prodigy Preferred Owner's Manual

Prodigy
Meter Owner's Manual
About Alternate Site Testing (AST)
There are important limitations to AST. Please consult your
healthcare professional before you perform AST.
What is AST?
Alternate Site Testing (AST) means you can use parts of the body
other than your fingertips to check your blood glucose levels. The
Prodigy Preferred Meter allows you to test your palm, forearm,
®
upper arm, calf or thigh. See Figure 1.
What is the advantage?
Fingertips feel pain more readily
because they are full of nerve endings
(receptors). At other body sites, nerve
endings are not so numerous and you
will not feel as much pain as you will
experience at the fingertip.
When to use AST?
Food, medication, illness, stress,
and exercise can affect blood
glucose levels. Capillary blood at
the fingertip reflects these changes
faster than capillary blood at other
sites. Therefore, if you are testing
your blood glucose level during or
immediately after a meal, physical
Figure 1
exercise or stressful event, take the
blood sample from your fingertip only.
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