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Contour next glucometer strips come in different types according to their suitability for various populations.
Standard Test Strips
The general population with diabetes commonly uses them. These strips are widely available and compatible with most contour blood glucose monitors. They are accurate, easy to handle, and require a small blood sample. These facets make them ideal for daily personal use.
Hyena Mediated Test Strips
These strips are exclusively designed for pregnant women who may have gestational diabetes or have been diagnosed with diabetes. These strips usually feature a more sensitive testing surface that reduces the risk of painful blood draws, which are essential for expectant mothers.
Decimal Blood Glucose Test Strips
These are designed for infants and young children who require smaller blood volumes for testing. The strips are marked with bright colors and easy-to-understand instructions to help parents conduct the tests with minimal stress. The reduced blood volume is particularly important for children, as larger samples can be more painful.
Semi-Quantitative Test Strips
These strips include strips intended for people with diabetes-related complications like retinopathy or neuropathy. These strips measure glucose levels semi-quantitatively, providing an approximate glucose concentration rather than a precise single value. This feature can be particularly useful for individuals who have difficulty performing multiple blood tests due to vision problems or other health issues.
Detailed attention to specifications and maintenance ensures that contour next test strips perform optimally and give accurate results anytime they are needed.
Blood Sample Size
Contour next test strips typically require a small blood sample. Usually between 0.6 and 0.7 microliters. The small volume is convenient for users, as it can often be obtained with a minimal needle prick. However, precise handling is required to ensure that the sample is sufficient for accurate testing.
Operating Temperature
Errors in temperature can affect the test results, as the glucose levels can be miscalibrated. This, however, is not the ideal working condition. It is thus not encouraged to use test strips that have been exposed to extreme heat, cold, or moisture, as they will likely give erroneous results.
Expiry Date
Each Contour Next test strip batch has an expiration date stamped on the vial. This helps ensure the strips are functioning well. The efficacy of the strips decreases significantly once they cross the expiration date, which may lead to test inaccuracies.
Humidity Requirements
Contour Next Blood Glucose Test Strip packaging is moisture-resistant and helps store the strips in a dry environment. Exposure to high humidity can cause the strips to malfunction by altering the chemical reagents that are good for colorimetry.
Keep the Vial Sealed
During storage, always maintain that the vial is closed properly. This practice helps prevent moisture from getting into the container and affects the strips. If a vial is left open, the strips inside it become exposed to environmental elements that can compromise their integrity.
Store at Room Temperature
It is best to keep Contour Next test strips between 20°C and 25°C. This is normal room temperature. However, it is also okay if the strips are stored at temperatures not exceeding 30°C. Exposure to high temperatures can degrade the chemical composition of the strips and lead to inaccurate readings.
Avoid Direct Sunlight
Keep the test strip containers in a dark location. In other words, do not expose them to direct light. Keep in mind that prolonged exposure to UV light affects strip functionality and performance.
Avoid Transferring Between Containers
Besides the fact that the strips are sold in the manufacturer's container, never transfer them to other containers if the original one is damaged for whatever reason. Other containers might not provide the moisture protection needed. Moreover, using a new container also increases the possibility of contamination, which further degrades the strips.
Always Wash and Dry Hands
Before the test, wash the hands with soap and water to decrease the possibility of a contaminant affecting the strip or the test result. This leads to better glucose concentration readings because the blood will be drawn from a clean environment that is free from contaminants. After washing, dry the hands completely, as excess water can dilute the blood sample and cause inaccurate results.
Use a Sterile Lancet
Use a new, sterile lancet to obtain blood each time a test is performed. Non-sterilized or previously used lancets can introduce contaminants to the test strips and the blood that has been drawn, affecting the accuracy of the readings. Make sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions on how deeply the lancet should be set for blood collection.
Immediately Apply Blood to the Strip
Ensure that the blood sample is applied to the strip immediately after the blood is drawn. This practice will help avoid any potential changes in the blood glucose concentration that may occur if the blood is left exposed to air for an extended period before applying it to the strip.
Contour next glucose strips are essential for monitoring blood sugar levels for people with health conditions that directly affect the body's ability to regulate blood sugar levels. The strips are practical and versatile to be used in home-care units, hospitals, health facilities, and other healthcare service-providing entities.
Continuous Glucose Monitoring
For diabetic patients who need to keep a constant watch on their blood glucose levels, these strips are important, especially for type 1 and type 2 diabetics. Such patients use Contour Next strips to ensure they maintain their glucose levels within the desired range. This helps them avoid the repercussions of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia and thus helps them live a better life.
Managing Pregnancy
Secure and easy-to-handle strips are especially suitable for expecting mothers, as they have to monitor their blood sugar levels during pregnancy regularly, especially if they have gestational diabetes. The strips cause minimal discomfort and allow confident and accurate testing on both the mother and the unborn baby. This is particularly important because abnormal blood sugar levels can affect fetal growth and development.
Hospital and Clinical Use
In nursing areas, .next test strips are ideal for checking the blood sugar levels of patients with lots of efficiency and precision. Medical experts depend on these strips to diagnose and attend to diabetic patients by temporarily checking their blood sugar levels. They are considered to be accurate and consistently dependable even within clinical settings where time and precision are of the essence.
Diet and Fitness Monitoring
Using these test strips helps people following specific diets, such as low-carb or ketogenic diets, to monitor their blood glucose responses to food. Athletes also use the strips to understand how their bodies react to certain foods or drinks before exercising. Contour Next strips allow users to optimize their diet and fitness regimes by giving them real-time data on blood sugar levels.
Travel and Outdoor Activities
The portability and ease of use of Contour Next strips make them ideal for testing on the go. Diabetics can manage their blood sugar levels while traveling, participating in outdoor activities, or on holiday. The no-coding required feature simplifies the process, allowing users to test quickly without needing extra steps.
Although blood glucose monitoring is important, it is even more important to choose the right test strips. The following factors should be put into consideration when buying these test strips.
Precision And Accuracy
Variations in blood glucose measurements can have serious health implications, so always go for high-precision and accuracy test strips. Readings given by Contour Next test strips are very accurate and precise, and they assist in managing diabetes and doing proper treatments.
Easy Application
Choose test strips that make applying blood easy and straightforward, especially if there will be many patients using them. Finding Contour Next test strips is easy to apply without hassle, as they will help eliminate the problem of using too many strips. A few factors that make it easy to apply blood include a large target area and a well-designed paper to absorb capillary blood.
No Coding
No-coding test strips are highly preferred, as they simplify the blood glucose testing process. If reading and recording blood glucose levels is straightforward, there is a lower chance of error and more convenience, especially in a busy clinical environment or for patients doing self-testing. Contour test strips automatically detect, meaning users don't have to manually input numbers; this makes testing faster.
Packaging
Consider the size of Contour Next test strip packages. Supplies with large pack sizes will be more cost-effective. At the same time, smaller packages may be useful if the turnover is low and expiration dates are a concern. Also, make sure that the packaging is moisture-proof and that the test strips stay effective while being stored.
Expiration date
Make it a point to always check the issue date when buying any medical supply product, especially test strips. Ensure that the date is not too far in the past, as using expired test strips can lead to inaccurate blood glucose testing. On the other hand, if the date is too far in the future, that simply means the product is not in circulation.
Sensitivity
Pick test strips with a high degree of sensitivity to glucose. That is, the strips should be responsive to small amounts of glucose in the blood. Those with high sensitivity will ensure accuracy even in low or highly fluctuating blood glucose concentrations.
A1. Contour next glucose strips are diabetic test strips developed for efficiency and accuracy in blood glucose testing. They are designed with a target area that improves blood application and ensures tested blood is absorbed evenly.
A2. Yes, they are the same. Contour next test strips are formerly known as Ascensia Contour Blood Glucose Test Strips. They were manufactured by Bayer but later sold to Ascensia, keeping the strip name. All Contour test strips feature the latest technology and precision for accurate blood glucose testing.
A3. Yes, there are differences, though they are slight. The original contour test strips function well, but the Contour next test strips work better, producing greater accuracy. Both products are the same in form and appearance, but Contour next are augmented with superior technology for maximum accuracy when testing blood glucose.
A4. Yes, that is correct. Using expired test strips is not advisable, especially where health is concerned. Doing so can give inaccurate results, as time may have degraded the potency of the strips and affected their chemical composition. The strip may also be damaged in some way if the expiry date has been reached, further compromising performance.
A5. No, they do not have one. One of the most convenient features of Contour Next is that they do not require coding. Not having to code eliminates the chances of making errors during setup and makes testing quicker, especially for patients conducting tests at home.
A6. The efficacy of the test strips can be maintained by storing them in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures. Always ensure that the vial containing the strips is sealed after each use to prevent moisture from affecting the strips.
A7. While most Contour Next blood glucose meters are designed to work with their own corresponding test strips, it is still better to check the user manual to confirm compatibility. Some meters might only work with specific variations of the plug-in, while others could support various test strip models within the same product line.