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Meter Accuracy

V

vicsetter

Member
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I notice in the article on the Diabetes.co.uk web site about meters that they have the following statment:
'How accurate are blood glucose meters?

All meters on the market should have a high degree of accuracy. Because of the possible implications if they are inaccurate, most manufacturers make certain that their products give accurate readings.

However, testing the meter regularly to ensure that it is still accurate is a good idea, as meters can become less accurate over time. '
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I feel this is misleading as nearly all meters are at best only 20% accurate, I do not regard this as a HIGH DEGREE OF ACCURACY. A reading of 5 could be 4 or it could be 6.
The Mylife Pura meter website claims theirs is the most accurate but although they refer to a comparative test of meters they do not state the accuracy of their meter.
 
I wonder if the accuracy varies depending on level eg. most accurate between 4-8, because when I test it doesn't matter if it is say 15 or 20 both are too high, also it doesn't matter if it says 2 or 3 both are too low, but the difference between 4 and 8 is more important. If that makes any sense at all!
 
HLW said:
I wonder if the accuracy varies depending on level eg. most accurate between 4-8, because when I test it doesn't matter if it is say 15 or 20 both are too high, also it doesn't matter if it says 2 or 3 both are too low, but the difference between 4 and 8 is more important. If that makes any sense at all!
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I agree with the low part, but there's a large difference between 15 and 20, correcting when thinking your at twenty but your actually at fifteen then your gonna go low 5 lower than your aiming for?

I think all that matters is consistency with BG meters, isn't that why we have hba1c's... if your meter average is much higher or lower than your hba1c and you test more regular to see you have no swings inbetween then you surely you know your meter is out of whack?

But then again i read that your blood from your finger is far less accurate than your blood glucosemactually is anyway, compared to a blood test taken from your arm, and i've also been in hospital and had it taken from my wrist as i was informed that was even more accurate.

So when i think about all of it like that , no test is really 100% accurate to what your blood glucose actually is?

If my theories are correct, feel free to tell me i'm wrong though :lol:
 
True re: correction doses, I didn't consider that!

Looking at the calibration range for my meter it's quite wide, low is 1.4-3.1 and high is 14.2-19.1, if I'm understanding that right it means that the calibration low solution could read anything between 1.4-3.1 and it would say ok, same for high?
 
Meter Calibration - HLW I agree with that, I am giving up with my Contour meter it calibrates at 7.7 in the test range of 5.9 to 8.2 and appears to read 25% higher than my other meters. MY MyLife Pura meter claims to be the most accurate, but no proof but the calibration range is much lower and tighter.
Lab blood tests are done on blood plasma only whereas our meters actually measure whole blood and have a calculation to estimate the plasma equivalent reading. The doctor or hospital will use blood from a vein. If you want to test your meter against a lab test you are supposed to do an 8hr fasting test.
I was also told that capillary blood can be 'stale' so the first drop may not give the same reading as subsequent ones, but haven't really explored this one.

At the end of the day if you are on insulin you are supposed to be above 5 when you drive and as I see it you cannot accurately measure this, would the police take your meter and say well you were above 5 less than 2 hrs ago so you are OK, dunno!
 
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