A University of Florida College of Medicine anesthesiologist is pushing to let fellow physicians know about the shortcomings of home glucose meters in hospital settings. These home monitors are not ideal for a hospital setting, especially when surgical procedures are involved.
A home glucose monitor is more than acceptable for home use. However, for diabetics who are having or have recently had surgery, the home device can and often does produce inaccurate readings. When a diabetic or a non-diabetic has a surgical procedure, the body often reacts in a way that can cause a sudden rise or fall in blood sugar levels.
An inaccurate blood glucose reading in the operating room can create a serious situation.
"One CDC study proved that on average, readings from some over-the-counter devices differed by as much as 32 percent from values obtained in a central laboratory. For a diabetic that is poses a dangerous situation."
In a hospital, setting blood glucose levels should be checked by drawn blood in the lab. In a true emergency diabetic situation, the medical staff will recognize the other symptoms that come with an abnormally high or low blood sugar and respond accordingly.
Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/214317.php
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