Comparing Your Meter Result To A Lab Result - Accu-Chek Compact Plus Owner's Booklet

Comparing Your Meter Result to a Lab Result

A common question is how the blood sugar results on your meter compare to the lab results. Your blood
sugar can change quickly, especially after eating, taking medication, or exercising. If you test yourself in the
morning, then go to the doctor's office for a blood sugar test, your results will probably not match, even if you
are fasting. This is typically not a problem with your meter, it just means that time has elapsed and your
blood sugar has changed.
If you want to compare your meter result to the lab result, you must be fasting. Take your meter to the
doctor's office, and test yourself by fingerstick within five minutes of having blood drawn from your arm by a
healthcare professional. Keep in mind that the lab uses different technology than the meter, and that blood
glucose meters for self testing generally read somewhat lower than the lab result.
If you are fasting and you do a fingerstick test within five minutes of having your blood drawn, here are the
general guidelines to compare your meter result to the lab result:
• If your blood sugar is below 75 mg/dL, your results generally compare within 15 mg/dL.
• If your blood sugar is 75 mg/dL or over, your results generally compare within 20%.
Chapter 3: Testing Your Blood Sugar 57
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