People with diabetes need to monitor their blood sugar levels. It is an important part of diabetics daily health care. It allows them to reveal the pattern of their sugar blood levels change and helps them in the planning of meals, activities and medications. They can do self monitoring of their blood sugar level by regularly doing blood sugar levels testing using blood sugar test strips which work in conjunction with glucose meter.

Blood sugar test strips are one-time-use element containing chemicals that will react with glucose in the drop of blood used for each measurement. Some of blood sugar test strips are made of plastic, and some others are made of paper. They are commonly small and thin.

When diabetics want to test their sugar blood levels, first thing they have to do is pricking their finger using lancet to allow a drop of blood flow onto the sugar blood test strip inserted into the testing slot of glucose meter. A chemical called glucose oxidase in the strip reacts with the glucose in the blood sample and creates an acid called gluconic acid. The gluconic acid then reacts with another chemical in the testing strip called ferricyanide. The ferricyanide and the gluconic acid then combine to create ferrocyanide.

The glucose meter will run if ferrocyanide has been created. When it runs, an electronic current flows through the blood sample on the strip. Then the blood sugar levels in the sample are measured. The sugar levels number is then displayed on the screen of the glucose meter.

Blood sugar test strips are easy to get. They often come included with sugar blood monitoring kit that usually consists of lancet, glucose meter and the blood sugar test strips. It is suggested that people use the test strips before the expired date.