Blood glucose meter
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A blood glucose meter is a small, portable, battery-powered device for home blood glucose monitoring. The device is used by diabetics, who need to be able to determine and track blood glucose levels to maintain their health.
A specially coated strip containing a fresh sample of blood is inserted in the meter, which then calculates the level of glucose in the blood sample and shows the result in a digital display.
Different makes of meters offer a variety of functions and data management capabilities to match individual testing needs. Newer models of meters feature one-step sampling and readout: the chemically-treated strip is placed in the machine, and the machine placed against the skin. Then the sampling is initiated and the meter draws the blood onto the strip: the user need not handle the specimen. Among other advantages, this permits the use of smaller specimen volumes and therefore permits the use of blood drawn from less vascular and less painful areas of the body.