Lancets for Safe Blood Sampling in Healthcare Settings

Lancets are small, sharp instruments used to prick the skin for blood sampling, such as in glucose monitoring for individuals with diabetes.
Category
Medical device
Where to get
Widely available in pharmacies and medical supply stores
Prepared by Lee Cheng, reviewed by Jane Cox

Lancets FAQ


Image credit: walmart.com

What is a lancet used for?

Lancets are small needles that are used to prick the skin to obtain a blood sample. Many lancets can be used with a lancing device that helps to make it more effective and less painful, however they can be used without one by just sticking the skin with the needle.

What is a blood lancet?

A blood lancet, sometimes called a lance, is similar to a scalpel style lancet, but with a double-edged blade and a pointed end. It can even be a specialized type of sharp needle. Lancets are used to make punctures, such as a fingerstick, to obtain small blood specimens. Blood lancets are generally disposable.

Are there different types of lancets available?

As you can see from the image above, there are many different brands of lancets available. There are a few tests that can be done using a small drop of blood that the lancet provides. For people with diabetes, they can easily check their blood sugar levels.

Are lancets Universal?

Some devices and lancets are universal, but some are made specifically for each other. It is also important to look at the price of the lancets that are required and if they are covered by your insurance. You should look for lancets and devices that work with small needle gauges. The larger the number, the smaller the needle.

Is the Lancet a good journal?

The Lancet is a world-leading source of clinical, public health, and global health knowledge. The journal has an Impact Factor of 168·9 (2022 Journal Citation Reports ®, Clarivate 2023) and ranks first among 167 general and internal medicine journals globally, and a Scopus CiteScore of 133·2 —ranking second among 830 general medicine journals.

Is the Lancet a peer-reviewed journal?

The Lancet is a weekly peer-reviewed general medical journal and one of the oldest of its kind. It is also one of the world's highest-impact academic journals. It was founded in England in 1823.

Who founded the Lancet?

The Lancet, British medical journal established in 1823. The journal’s founder and first editor was Thomas Wakley, considered at the time to be a radical reformer. Wakley stated that the intent of the new journal was to report on the metropolitan hospital lectures and to describe the important cases of the day.

Who owns the Lancet?

In 1921, The Lancet was acquired by Hodder & Stoughton. Elsevier acquired The Lancet from Hodder & Stoughton in 1991. According to the Journal Citation Reports, the journal has a 2021 impact factor of 202.731, ranking it first above The New England Journal of Medicine in the category "Medicine, General & Internal".

Lancets References

If you want to know more about Lancets, consider exploring links below:

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