Alternate Site Testing - Accu-Chek Compact Plus User Manual

14 Alternate sites testing
Capillary blood for blood glucose testing can be obtained, not only from
the fingertips, but also from other sites (the palm, the forearm, the upper
arm, the calf or the thigh), which is referred to as Alternate Site Testing
(AST).
The Accu-Chek Softclix Plus AST cap is a special cap that is used in
conjunction with the Accu-Chek Softclix Plus lancing device and enables
you to collect blood from these alternate sites.
Blood obtained from a fingertip and the palm – both below the
thumb and below the little finger – can be used at any time to
test blood glucose. If blood from any of the other alternate sites –
the forearm, the upper arm, the calf and the thigh – is used,
there are certain times when testing is not appropriate (see the
chapter "The right moment"). The results may differ from the
results taken from the fingertips at these times. These differ-
ences can cause the wrong therapeutic decision to be taken and
so produce adverse health effects.
The AST cap is intended for patient self-monitoring by a single
person. This cap must not be used for obtaining blood on more
than one person owing to the risk of infection.
Please read these instructions for use before you use blood from
alternate sites to test blood glucose. Only in this way can you
choose the right blood collection method. Before you decide to
practice alternate site blood glucose testing, please consult your
healthcare professional.
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Alternate sites testing
Before using the AST cap, please carefully read the instructions
for use of the Accu-Chek Compact Plus meter and the package
insert of the Accu-Chek Compact test strip drums.
Use the AST cap to obtain blood from alternate sites only.
If you use this AST cap to collect blood from a fingertip, the lan-
cet penetrates too deeply into the finger and could possibly cause
unnecessary discomfort or pain.
In rare instances bruising may occur following collection of blood
from alternate sites.
If the result using blood taken from the forearm, the upper arm,
the calf or the thigh produces a result that does not agree with
the way you feel, test again with blood collected from a fingertip
or the palm. If the test result still does not agree with the way you
feel, please contact your healthcare professional.
Do not change your treatment based only on a single result.
Only use the AST cap in conjunction with the Accu-Chek Softclix
Plus lancing device. Using a different lancing device or using a
different AST cap with the Accu-Chek Softclix Plus lancing device
can prevent the lancing device and/or the AST cap from function-
ing properly or may result in damage to the lancing device and/or
AST cap.
The success of obtaining a suitably sized drop of blood from
i
alternate sites may differ from person to person and from site to
site.
Alternate sites testing
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