The invention relates to a hand-held analytical device for analyzing a sample, in particular a biological fluid, for a medically significant component, comprising a housing comprising a loading opening for receiving a replaceable cartridge having multiple chambers that may contain analytical consumables, in particular test strips, and each chamber comprising an opening on at least one face of the cartridge and each opening may be sealed by a sealing foil, a removal facility for removing one of the analytical consumables from the cartridge. The removal facility can be used to remove one of the consumables from one of the chambers of the cartridge, in the process of which the opening sealed by the sealing foil is opened. A drive allows the cartridge to be moved in order to position one chamber in a removal position in which a consumable can be removed from the chamber by the removal facility. The invention provides for the hand-held analytical device to comprise a testing facility that can generate a signal containing information regarding whether the opening of one of the chambers is sealed by sealing foil.