Here’s information on two new diagnostic products. These two are both sold over-the-counter for people with diabetes.
The FDA recently cleared for marketing two glucose test meters for use in conjunction with hand-held computers. The computer technology allows diabetics to do a better job of tracking and managing their blood sugar levels.
The devices are the FreeStyle Tracker Diabetes Management System, by TheraSense, Inc., of Alameda, California, and the Accu-Check Advantage Module, by Roche Diagnostics Corporation, of Indianapolis.
These products, for the first time, combine a glucose test meter with a hand-held computer, in this case a compatible personal digital assistant, or PDA. The new system not only measures and tracks glucose levels, it’s also able to monitor and record other important data, such as insulin usage, food intake, exercise, and medications.
The patient uses the device by first inserting a glucose meter module into the hand-held computer. Then a test strip is inserted into the meter and a blood sample is collected and placed onto the test strip. The glucose levels are then read by the meter. The computer displays the results and saves them in a database which has the ability to store up to 2,500 entries. The results can be uploaded to a PC and printed out, or viewed at a later time.
Of course, it’s important that patients know how to operate a PDA before they use this system.
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