The technology behind glucose meters: Test strips

Blood glucose meters are the basis for people with diabetes to live a near-normal life avoiding acute and late complications. The main part of the technology behind blood glucose meters is formed by test strips. This paper tries to give an overview and some insight into the principles of test strips. They contain enzymes, coenzymes, mediators, and indicators in the form of a dry layer and convert blood glucose concentration into a signal that is readable by the meter. Measurement speed, specificity, accuracy, and precision are dominated by test strip chemistry and design. During the last decades, they have been developed to do the job in 5 s, with less than 1 mu L of blood. It is our firm belief that they will be developed further and stay important for decades to come.