The Difference Between 

Sensor Glucose and Blood Glucose

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Finger prick blood glucose readings and sensor glucose readings won’t always

match and in fact are likely to be different1

 

That’s because sensor glucose readings come from the interstitial fluid (ISF), a thin layer of fluid that surrounds the cells of tissues below the skin, not from blood.

WHY ARE FREESTYLE LIBRE  SENSOR READINGS SOMETIMES DIFFERENT FROM A FINGER PRICK BLOOD GLUCOSE TEST?

Blood glucose and sensor glucose are closely related but not identical.

A sensor glucose reading always lags behind a finger prick blood glucose reading by about 2.4 - 4.6 minutes.2,3

If glucose levels are rising or falling, then the two readings may be different. This is completely normal and to be expected, particularly after meals, after taking insulin or when you´ve been exercising.

When your glucose levels are stable then the two readings may be very similar.

Although the readings may differ slightly, the FreeStyle Libre  system is accurate3 and safe to dose insulin from your scanned glucose result1.

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The FreeStyle Libre system is designed to replace
self-monitoring blood glucose testing1

 

No finger pricks… means no finger pricks1

 

FREE from finger pricks to dose insulin
FREE from finger pricks to confirm low glucose or going low
FREE from finger pricks when glucose is rapidly changing
FREE from finger pricks to take acetaminophen
FREE from finger pricks for calibration

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SENSOR GLUCOSE AND BLOOD GLUCOSE 

Why FreeStyle Libre?

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FREESTYLE LIBRE SYSTEM

WHY
FREESTYLE LIBRE 2?

GETTING STARTED WITH FREESTYLE LIBRE

UNDERSTANDING REPORTS AND DATA

REAL-TIME
GLUCOSE
ALARMS

Want to know more?

Get the answers you're looking for!

1. Finger pricks are required if glucose readings do not match symptoms or expectations

2. FreeStyle Libre System Performance Data Sheet.

3. Alva S. JDST (2020). https://doi.org/10.1177/1932296820958754

– Images are for illustrative purposes only. Not real patient or Health Care Professional.

– Simulated data for illustrative purposes only. Not real patient or data.

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