Question
Which drugs and nutritional supplements can interfere with home testing of blood glucose with a glucose meter?
Julio Garcia, MD
Response from John B. Buse, MD, PhD
There is a theoretical concern regarding a variety of substances interfering with glucose-monitoring technology, such as vitamin C. However, for most meters and most strips these issues have been evaluated fairly well, and in general, there does not seem to be a major concern. That said, there is certainly the possibility that some prescription medications and over-the-counter products may interfere with a particular meter or strip and that this interaction may go unrecognized. Furthermore, massively high doses of a compound may produce previously unknown interference because studies to evaluate an interaction were performed at lower doses of the agent.
If you suspect that a particular compound is interfering with glucose testing, I recommend contacting the manufacturer of the glucose-monitoring product in question.
It may be worth noting in this context that if some glucose test strips are used to test a sample taken from a tube containing sodium fluoride, a falsely low value can be obtained. To my knowledge, there is no interference associated with fluoridation of water and either fluoride supplementation or treatment.
Medscape Diabetes. 2001;3(2) © 2001 Medscape
Cite this: John B Buse. Agents Interfering With Home Testing of Blood Glucose - Medscape - Sep 25, 2001.
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