Most meters will only take one type of test strip. So, you should make sure you know which strip your meter uses before buying. This is also important to remember with your prescription for test strips. Your local area may only have a limited range of meters available to them and will only prescribe strips for the meters they give out.

Diabetes UK: Can people with diabetes use expired blood glucose test strips? https://www.diabetes.co.uk/blog/2015/05/can-people-with-diabetes-use-expired-blood-glucose-test-strips/ You can get test strips on prescription or you can buy them over the counter at a pharmacy or online. When taking blood, you need to wait for the alcohol to evaporate before giving the needle injection. Gainey Wilson K., Ovington, P., & Dean, D. (2015). A Low-Cost Inkjet-Printed Glucose Test Strip System for Resource-Poor Settings.Journal of diabetes science and technology,9(6), 1275–1281.{ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4667310}Manufacturers of glucose test strips must mention an expiration date on their products. The strips do not become worthless immediately after this date has passed. However, the possibility of inaccurate results is higher. Erroneous results become more likely as time elapses beyond the expiration date. Write the discard date (6 months after opening the vial) on the vial label when you open it for the first time. Discard the remaining test strips after the discard date. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Infection Prevention during Blood Glucose Monitoring and Insulin Administration { https://www.cdc.gov/injectionsafety/blood-glucose-monitoring.html}. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Monitoring Your Blood Sugar. { https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/managing-blood-sugar/bloodglucosemonitoring.html}. The storage temperature of the test strip (1-30℃), too high or too low will cause the test strip to fail;

Advanced Electrode Strips: It can avoid interference from blood oxygen variations and assure you of accurate test results each time. Older glucose test strips used these enzymes with horseradish peroxidase and 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS). When blood was applied, the chemical reaction generated a blue-green colored chemical. Measuring this color gave a blood glucose level reading [4]. Such machines and strips are not in use now. You can get a range of different types of blood glucose monitors. There are some meters that have extra features such as USB connections that allow you to log your readings on a computer. There are also meters that have calculators for insulin to carbohydrate ratio, and that you can link up with your smartphone. The test strip expires;(The expiry date of the uric acid strips: 12 months, Period After Opening :3 months)Remove a new test strip within the valid expiration of the vial. After taking the strip, immediately cover the vial to avoid losing efficiency. Before a meal (fasting or pre-prandial blood glucose: 80 to 130 milligrams/deciliter (4.44 to 7.22 millimoles/liter) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Diabetes Basics. { https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/index.html} In an emergency, we can use a test strip that has recently passed its expiration date, keeping in mind the possibility of an inaccurate result. For safety, we should use strips only within their expiration dates. This is vital because a single faulty strip or reading can lead us to a treatment decision that can be harmful or even fatal [3]. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Are Test Strips of Different Models Interchangeable? There are several brands of glucometers and test strips available commercially. Each has the same basic methodology but differs in design and technology. Each strip must be used only with the glucometer designed for use with it.