How long are glucose control solutions good for?

Are you lost in the world of glucose control solutions? Fear not, we have you covered! Today, we are going to talk about the shelf life of these little bottles.

What Are Glucose Control Solutions?

Before diving into how long glucose control solutions last, let’s quickly review what they are. These solutions are used to check if your blood glucose monitor is accurate. They come in different levels of concentration and can be bought at most pharmacies or diabetes supply stores.

Factors That Affect Shelf Life

The length of time a bottle of solution can last depends on various factors:

Expiration Date

First and foremost, it’s crucial to check the expiration date on each bottle before using them. If a bottle has passed its expiration date it will undoubtedly lose its effectiveness over time.

Storage

Secondly, storage is key when it comes to preserving the quality of your glucose control solution. The manufacturers usually recommended storing them at room temperature but always read individual instructions for more specific advice.

If exposed to extreme temperatures (too hot or too cold), it could lessen their potency drastically minimizing their accuracy altogether!

Frequency Of Use

Finally, consider how often you use your bottles. Generally speaking – once opened; an unused vial should only be used up within 90 days from first opening otherwise discard no matter how much volume was left inside that expired after those 90 days.

Now that we’ve explored some common ground regarding storage do bear with us here as things get broken down further based upon manufacturer-specific guidelines for optimal preservation:

Manufacturer Brand Name Shelf Life
Abbott Diabetes Care Precision Xtra Unused Vials- Up To Two Years
Roche Diagnostics Accu-Chek Aviva Unused Vials- Three Years
LifeScan OneTouch Ultra Unused Vials – Two Years

Note: Do not wing it, always refer to individual bottle packaging material for definitive expiration dating information as differing brands may vary in shelf life

Testing The Accuracy

Okay, so let’s say it’s been a while since you opened your bottle; how do you check if they’re still doing their job?

Using a control solution is the simplest way to test whether the solutions are performing up-to-par. It works much like testing blood sugar except instead of using blood, you apply and test with glucose control solution!

To Check:
– Get a new or unused/testing strip ready.

  • Make sure both your hands as well as the vial of solution are at room temperature.

  • Shake the mixture according to manufacturer guidelines,

-On its own separate clean surface dispense a drop from whichever control level on label matches/exceeds that allotted on the given glucometer insert

-Wait around five seconds before reading results.

If any number discrepancies exist between suggested vs. actual readings? Congratulations! You’ve confirmed these supplies have turned bad and now needs discarded & replaced ASAP!

Now, some manufactures might have specifics listed about when one ought to use alternate types of glucose control levels depending on this very same issue arising again over time having notable inconsistencies across measuring intervals including early morning/after-mealtime periods amongst other scenarios that consist . This usually involves keeping up communication with specified customer service representatives for dedicated feedback over direct calls etc…so always keep an eye out beforehand!

Wrap Up

In conclusion there’s no single all-encompassing answer to ‘how long are glucose control solutions good for?’ but as long you keep your bottles out of the extreme temperatures, use them regularly and within their stated individual shelf life, then optimal performance is more likely to remain on par.

Stick with reputable manufacturers like LifeScan, Roche Diagnostics and Abbott Diabetes Care whenever possible since these brands can provide detailed instructions about how best storing/sustainably managing their specific product lines.

Happy Glucose Control Celebrations!

Alright guys we hope that was easy peasy lemon-squeezy enough reading for those who found themselves in a pinch overload of data regarding effective item maintenance; don’t forget there’s no need to overthink this or get too paranoid either- so stay chilled & just do whatever manufacturer guidelines say!

Stay wholesome folks!

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