Monitoring blood glucose levels is important for individuals managing diabetes. Tracking provides insights into how diet, physical activity, and medication affect blood sugar. Glucose test strips are small, disposable tools used with a blood glucose meter for these readings. They facilitate at-home testing, aiding informed decisions in diabetes care and complication prevention.
Understanding Test Strip Expiration
Glucose test strips have an expiration date and degrade over time. Each strip contains a chemical coating, primarily enzymes like glucose oxidase or glucose dehydrogenase, which react with glucose in a blood sample to generate an electrical current the meter interprets for a reading. Over time, these sensitive chemical reagents break down, losing stability and effectiveness, leading to inaccurate results. Manufacturers establish expiration dates based on testing to guarantee accuracy. Therefore, check the expiration date on both the box and individual packaging.
Factors That Degrade Test Strips
Environmental factors can accelerate test strip degradation, compromising accuracy before expiration. Exposure to moisture and high humidity is a concern, as water vapor destabilizes chemical reagents, leading to unreliable readings. Extreme temperatures, both heat and cold, also affect strip integrity; high temperatures degrade enzymes, leading to elevated results, while freezing can depress readings. Direct sunlight, especially UV rays, can damage strip chemicals. Prolonged air exposure, like leaving the vial open, deteriorates chemicals, rendering strips unusable.
Proper Storage for Optimal Accuracy
Proper storage is essential to maintain test strip accuracy and usability until expiration. Keep strips in their original, tightly sealed container, designed to protect from moisture and light. Store them in a cool, dry place (39°F-86°F / 4°C-30°C), away from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures. Avoid storing strips in bathrooms or kitchens, where humidity fluctuates. Unless instructed by the manufacturer, do not refrigerate strips, as this can compromise chemical stability.
Consequences of Using Degraded Strips
Using glucose test strips that have expired or been compromised by improper storage can lead to inaccurate blood glucose readings, posing health risks. Degraded strips may produce falsely high or low readings. Inaccuracies can result in incorrect medication dosages (e.g., too much or too little insulin) or inappropriate dietary adjustments, leading to serious complications like hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) or hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), potentially resulting in diabetic ketoacidosis or diabetic coma. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and healthcare professionals caution against using expired or improperly stored strips due to these dangers. If a reading seems inconsistent, check the strip’s expiry and storage conditions immediately.