Test for Ketones (Home Test)

You can test for ketones at home using special tablets or test strips. Ketones are substances made by the body when it burns fat instead of sugar. They are a sign that your blood sugar is out of control.

To do the urine test:

• Collect a urine sample in a clean container.
• Follow the directions on the test.
• If either the test strip or the urine changes color when the tablet is dropped into the sample, the urine sample contains ketones.
• Test results may range from negative to 4+, from small to large, or from low to high. (For tests that read from negative to 4+, more than 1+ means that you have a moderate to large amount of ketones in your urine.)

Some home blood sugar meters can also measure blood ketones. You use the same finger-prick method that you use to measure blood sugar.