If you regularly travel from a sea-level location (such as Miami) to a high-level location (such as Albuquerque or, say, a mountaintop), you might wonder why your blood sugars always read lower at the high elevation.
It’s not your imagination: Most blood glucose meters use a chemical reaction that requires oxygen from the air to measure blood sugar. At high altitudes, there is less oxygen in the air, which causes the results to be lower. Thus, the results you get may be affected by altitude.
If you are traveling to a place with a much different altitude, read the instructions that came with your meter and also the package insert in the strips. You may also call the toll-free 800 number in the package insert, or write to the company that makes the meter to find out whether its readings are affected by altitude.
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