There is a difference in the glucose
levels of venous blood (usually
drawn from a vein in your arm)
and capillary blood (blood from a
fingerstick). After a meal, the glucose
levels in the capillaries may be
20–70 mg/dL higher than the levels
in venous blood.
6
If your lab test is
taken while you are in the fasting
state (before breakfast), this differ-
ence will be minimal (2–5 mg/dL).
7
Variation may also occur between
your Meter and the lab if the two
tests were not done within 10–15
minutes of each other. Blood glucose
values change rapidly, especially
after you have eaten, and the two
tests could have very different
results.
8,9
1 Skyler JS, et al:
Postgraduate Medicine
(1987) 81(6):163–174.
2 Skyler JS, et al:
Diabetes Care
(1981) 4:311–318.
3 Wickham NWR, et al:
Practical Diabetes
(1986) 3(2):100.
4 Cohen FE, et al:
Diabetes Care
(1986) 9(3):320–322.
5 Clarke WL, et al:
Diabetes Care
(1987) 10(5):622–628.
6 Gadsen RH:
Challenges in Diabetes Management.
Milpitas
CA, LifeScan, Inc. (1988) 63–66.
7 Caraway WT: “Carbohydrates,” in Tietz NW (ed).
Fundamentals of Clinical Chemistry.
Philadelphia, WB
Saunders Company (1976) 242–244.
8 Surwit RS and Feinglos MN:
Diabetes Forecast
(1988) April:
49–51.
9 Nelson RL:
Diabetes Spectrum
(1989) 2:219–223.
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