icon-nav-help
Need Help

Submit your question to our team of health care professionals.

icon-nav-current-questions
Current Question

See what's on the mind of the community right now.

icon-conf-speakers-at-a-glance
Meet the Team

Learn more about our world-renowned team.

icon-nav-archives
CWD Answers Archives

Review the entire archive according to the date it was posted.

CWD_Answers_Icon
March 21, 2001

Blood Tests and Insulin Injections

advertisement
Question from New York, USA:

Is it true that there are different cutoff numbers for plasma calibrated meters and whole-blood calibrated meters?

Answer:

From: DTeam Staff

On average, whole blood sugar levels read a little over 12% lower than plasma levels.

DOB

[Editor’s comment: Commercial laboratories usually report blood sugar levels in serum (which is essentially the same as plasma). So, if you wish to check your meter against a lab value, it is important to know whether that meter reads serum or plasma, or whole blood.

SS]