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Alternative Site Testing (AST)
You have the option of obtaining a blood sample from other sites on your body besides the fingertip.
Blood obtained from a fingertip or palm, fleshy part of the hand under the thumb (thenar) and
the little finger (hypothenar), can be used at any time to measure blood glucose. If blood from an
alternative site, forearm, upper arm, thigh, or calf, is used, there are certain times when testing is
not appropriate (see next page). This is because your glucose level changes quicker in your fingertip
or palm than in the alternative sites. This difference may cause you to make the wrong therapeutic
decisions producing adverse health effects.
Please read the following section before you try testing from other sites.
thenar
hypothenar
