According to statistics, the number of people with diabetes in our country is constantly growing. Some scientists talk about the figure of 10 million people. With this pathology can not do without a glucometer, for example, Accu Check Asset. This device has a maximum number of positive reviews and an almost zero error.
A glucometer called the Accu Chek Asset is intended for the quantitative determination of glucose levels of capillary fresh blood in diabetics. It can only be used with test strips suitable for this device. Further in our article, we will consider the instructions for the Accu Chek Active meter.
About the complete set of the measuring device
These meters are delivered in a box in which not only the analyzer is present. Along with it, there is a battery in the kit, whose work is enough to conduct several hundred measurements. It is mandatory that the piercer is supplied with ten sterile lancets and indicators, as well as a working solution. Personalized instructions are provided with the pen and strips.
Instructions for the Accu Chek Active meter
Before starting the analysis, you should thoroughly wash your hands with soap and then dry them. This can be done with a paper towel or hairdryer. If you wish, you can wear sterile gloves. To optimize the blood flow, the finger must be rubbed, then a drop of blood is taken from it with the help of a special pen, which is a piercer. To do this, insert a lancet into it, then fix the depth of puncture directly and erect the tool by pressing the button on top. The syringe is brought to the finger and pressed on the central button of the piercer. When a click is heard, the trigger with a lancet is turned on. What to do next according to the instructions for use with the Accu Chek Active meter?
- The test strip is removed from the tube, then it is inserted into the device with a green square and up arrows along the guides.
- The dose of blood is neatly located in the specified area.
- In the event that a person does not have enough biological fluid, then the fence must be repeated repeatedly in ten seconds on the same strip. In this case, the data will be reliable.
- Five seconds later, you can see the answer on the screen.
What else does the instruction manual for the Accu Chek Asset blood glucose meter tell us?
Instrument Specifications
This tool has the following characteristics:
- The measurement time is five seconds.
- The volume of a blood drop is 2 μl.
- There is enough memory for 350 results with the date and time.
- Labeling of the result before and after meals is provided.
- The averages are calculated for one week, two and a month before and after eating.
- The presence of automatic coding.
- Transferring information to a computer via infrared.
- Battery life is approximately one thousand measurements.
- The presence of automatic inclusion when introducing a test strip.
- The instrument may turn off ninety seconds after shutting down.
- A warning about the expired shelf life is provided.
- The measurement range ranges from 0.6 to 33.2 mmol per liter.
- The measurement technique is photometric.
- Storage conditions: from -20 ° C to +60 ° C without battery. -5 ° C to +45 ° C with battery.
- The operating temperature of the entire system is +15 ° C to +35 ° C.
- The humidity range is over eighty-five percent.
- The working height is up to four thousand meters above sea level.
- The device is equipped with a ninety-six segment liquid crystal display.
- Dimensions of the device: 104 x 51 x 22 millimeters.
- The weight of the meter is 60 grams with a battery.
These were the main characteristics that are given about the "Aku Chek Asset" glucometer in the instructions for use.
How should the accuracy of the instrument be evaluated?
Owners of the glucometer model of this brand often doubt the testimony of this analyzer. Controlling glycemia by a means in which accuracy is not completely certain is not easy. Therefore, it is very important to know how to check accuracy in the home environment. The measurement data of different models of this brand sometimes do not coincide with laboratory results. But this does not mean at all that the device has a marriage. To assess the accuracy, it is enough to know the percentage error of the device.
Error
According to the law of physics, any measuring device has some error in calculating the results. For glucometers of different manufacturers, this is also a characteristic phenomenon, the only question is what is the magnitude of this error. According to studies of the Moscow Endocrinology Research Center, the accuracy of the glucometers of this company is lower than that of a number of others. The accuracy of the Accu Chek Active measuring device is fully consistent with the international standard for glucometers.
As part of the application of this device, it should be remembered that a slight discrepancy in error is allowed within fifteen percent.
Possible deviations
So, in the instructions for the Accu Chek Active meter, errors are also reported. When learning how to test this device for accuracy, it’s best to start with home-based diagnostic methods. But to begin with, it should be clarified whether a person uses consumables correctly. This device may be mistaken if:
- A pencil case with consumables is stored on a windowsill or near a radiator.
- The packaging lid with stripes does not close tightly.
- Consumables with expired warranty periods.
- The contact holes for the consumables, along with the photocell lenses, are dirty and dusty.
- The codes that are indicated on the pencil case with stripes and on the device do not match.
- Diagnosis is carried out in conditions that are inappropriate to the manual in violation of the permissible temperature regime.
- The person’s hands were frozen or were washed with very cold water (in this case, the concentration of glucose in the capillary blood rises).
- Hands along with the appliance are contaminated with sweet foods.
- The depth of the diagnostic puncture does not correspond to the thickness of the skin, blood does not spontaneously come out, and additional efforts lead to the release of intercellular fluid, which distorts the testimony.
Methods for checking the accuracy of the device and its settings
Now we will consider the instructions and settings of the Aku Chek Asset glucometer and discuss the verification of its accuracy. One of the easiest ways to check the accuracy of this device is to compare the data in a home analysis or in a laboratory setting, provided that the period between two blood samples is minimal. True, this technique is not entirely homemade, since in this case a visit to the clinic is mandatory.
You can check your glucometer at home by using three strips if there is a short time between the three blood tests. For an accurate diagnostic tool, the difference in result will not be more than five to ten percent.
Nuances and errors of the glucometer
Now consider the measurement error of the Accu Chek Active meter. You must understand that the calibration of this meter and the equipment in the laboratory are far from always the same. A personal device sometimes estimates glucose concentration solely from whole blood, while laboratory ones do it by plasma, which is the liquid part of the biomaterial that is separated from the cells.
For these reasons, the difference in results can sometimes reach up to twelve percent, in whole blood this indicator is usually lower. Comparing the result, it is necessary to bring the data into one measurement system, using a special table for translation.
You can independently evaluate the accuracy of the device using a special fluid. A number of devices are equipped with control solutions. But you can purchase them separately. Each manufacturer for their model produces a certain test solution, which is worth considering.
Battery Replacement
How to change the battery in the meter "Aku Chek Asset"? The first time the battery image appears on the display, it means that it is almost dead. With this charge, a person can make about fifty more measurements, and that’s all. It is recommended that the battery be replaced as soon as possible in this situation. The battery power against this background is significantly reduced, and changing environmental conditions (for example, cold) can negatively affect its performance.
So, to replace one battery type CR 2032 is required, which can be purchased at specialized medical equipment stores and pharmacies. The service life of a new battery is approximately one thousand measurements or about one year.
Thus, we reviewed the instructions for the Accu Chek Active meter. Next, we move on to the reviews. But it is also worth noting that it will not be superfluous to view the video instruction for the Accu Chek Active glucometer before using it.
Reviews
In the reviews, patients using the device write that they like this meter because it is very convenient to use, and consumables do not have to be replaced so often. Some complain about a 15 percent discrepancy as a result with laboratory indicators, but this factor, according to the instructions, must always be taken into account.