Urinalysis Strips

Types of urine test strips

• Ketone strips: used by people with type 1 diabetes to check for ketones when blood sugar is high or they are unwell, and by people following a ketogenic diet.
• UTI test strips: check for leukocytes (white blood cells) and nitrite, which can suggest a urinary tract infection.
• 10 parameter strips: test glucose, protein, ketones, blood, leukocytes, nitrite, bilirubin, urobilinogen, pH and specific gravity in one dip.

How to get an accurate result

• Use a clean container and a midstream sample, ideally first morning urine.
• Dip the strip briefly, remove excess urine on the edge of the cup and read each pad at the exact time printed on the bottle. Reading too early or too late gives wrong colours.
• Close the bottle immediately. Moisture and light spoil strips quickly, which matters in Bangladesh's humid climate, and never move strips to another container.
• Note the expiry date and the period strips stay usable after opening.

What the results mean

A strip is a screening tool, not a diagnosis. Protein or blood in urine can come from exercise, a fever or a period as well as from kidney problems, and a negative UTI strip does not rule out infection. Share abnormal results with a doctor, who may order a laboratory test. For people with diabetes, moderate or large ketones together with high blood sugar, vomiting or rapid breathing need urgent medical care.

Urine infection: don't self-treat

If a strip suggests a UTI, see a doctor rather than buying antibiotics directly from a pharmacy. Using the wrong antibiotic, or stopping early, adds to antibiotic resistance, which is a growing problem in Bangladesh. A urine culture shows which medicine will work.

Keep a simple log of your results with the date and time, which makes it easier for your doctor to see patterns.