Glucometer Test Kit
Background Diabetes mellitus effects an estimated 16 million people in the United States. An additional five million people have the disease and do not realize it. Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease that affects the pancreas's ability to produce or respond to insulin. The two major forms of diabetes are type I and type II. Both types of diabetes can have elevated blood sugar levels due to insufficiencies of insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas. Insulin is a key regulator of the body's metabolism. After meals, food is digested in the stomach and intestines. Carbohydrates are broken down into sugar molecules—of which glucose is one—and proteins are broken down into amino acids. Glucose and amino acids are absorbed directly into the bloodstream, and blood glucose levels rise. Normally, the rise in blood glucose levels signals important cells in the pancreas—called beta-cells—to secrete insulin, which pours into the bloodstream. Insulin then enables glucose and amino acids to enter cells in the body where, along with other hormones, it directs whether these nutrients will be burned for energy or stored for future use. As blood sugar falls to pre-meal levels, the pancreas reduces the production of insulin, and the body uses its stored energy until the next meal provides additional nutrients. In type I diabetes, the beta-cells in the pancreas that produce insulin are gradually destroyed; eventually insulin deficiency is absolute. Without insulin to move glucose into cells, blood sugar levels become excessively high, a condition known as hyperglycemia. Because the body cannot utilize the sugar, it spills over into the urine and is lost. Weakness, weight loss, and excessive hunger and thirst are among several indicators of this disease. Patients become depen Continue reading >>
How Do Glucometers Work?
Through a pinprick several times a day — but what if diabetics could tell their blood-sugar levels anytime, by glancing at a tattoo?… Monitoring blood sugar levels is a pain for the diabetic — both figuratively and literally. Several times a day, they prick a finger to obtain a blood droplet and apply it to a plastic strip that’s inserted in a glucometer — a hand-held device that tells them if their glucose level is high, low, or right on target. It’s usually the job of the pancreas to keep track of sugar levels and to secrete glucagon and insulin to keep them at 100 or so milligrams per deciliter of blood. But for diabetics — either because their pancreas doesn’t function properly or because their body can’t process the hormones it secretes — glucose testing is a do-it-yourself proposition. And a crucial one. Blood-sugar checks show if it’s time to inject a few units of insulin — or grab a lifesaving snack. That’s where the glucometer comes in. “Current glucometers use test strips containing glucose oxidase, an enzyme that reacts to glucose in the blood droplet, and an interface to an electrode inside the meter,” explains Michael Strano, the Charles and Hilda Roddey Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT. “When the strip is inserted into the meter, the flux of the glucose reaction generates an electrical signal,” he says. “The glucometer is calibrated so the number appearing in its digital readout corresponds to the strength of the electrical current: The more glucose in the sample, the higher the number.” Periodic tests via glucometer play an important part in the diabetic’s treatment plan, but current models fall short in giving a true picture of glucose fluctuations in real time. “The complications of diabetes st Continue reading >>
Glucose Test Strips Made In The Usa
In the heat of the presidential race candidates from both parties are battling over several issues. One issue that is particularly interconnected with economy and job creation is product offshoring. Product offshoring happens when a company decides to outsource their manufacturing or operational processes with the goal of lowering the cost of their products. Almost all manufacturers now prefer to have their products made overseas. And the manufacturers of glucose test strips are no exceptions. The test strip industry has largely fled the U.S as most test strip makers now have their strips made in China or Taiwan, where they can save on labor, utility, and taxes. Though it seems that most test strips are made fairly in the same way, most manufacturers choose to have their test strips made overseas. There are a few manufacturers of test strips who still take the long road to make their test strips here in the United States. Among the manufacturers that refuse to give in and insist on manufacturing domestically is PharmaTech whose GenStrip50 strips are proudly made in the U.S.A. Some test strip makers have one manufacturing plant here and another overseas. For example, Roche, the manufacturer of Accu-Check test strips has a manufacturing plant in Indianapolis that turns out over 4 billion test strips a year. Though it’s not clear why, Roche chooses to make some of their test strips here in the U.S and others overseas. According to a new nationally representative survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, when Americans were presented with a choice between a product made in the U.S.A and a product made overseas, 78 percent of people said they would prefer to purchase the American product. Most American consumers want to know where products are made and want Continue reading >>
It’s Cheaper To Make Diabetes Test Strips Of Silk Than Of Paper In India
A finger prick, a drop of blood, a measure of glucose—this quick test helps people with diabetes keep their blood sugar levels from soaring too high or plunging too low. It usually involves a strip of paper or plastic, impregnated with an enzyme that helps convert sugar to an electric signal readable by a portable device. But in India, those strips are made of silk. This seemingly luxurious choice of material is actual practical and cost-effective. In parts of India, silk is abundant, explains Nsikan Akpan for NPR’s Goats and Soda blog, and the country has legions of weavers, skilled on working handlooms, who can make the test strips. A company called Achira Labs, based in Bangalore, came up with the idea. Akpan writes: The new silk strips for diabetics, which will roll out this year, give the same information as other types of glucose strips but are easier to manufacture. Plastic and paper strips are typically sprayed with enzymes that break down blood sugar into electricity. Then a machine has to embed electrodes in the material, so the electrical signals can be transmitted into the glucose meter. Achira’s silk sensors only require the spray. The coated threads can conduct the electrochemical signals. Silk strips will cost one-quarter to one-third of the price of paper or plastic, which are available now in boxes of 100 for 1,600 rupees ($25). Achira Labs also developed silk strips coated with antibodies to detect dangerous diarrhea-causing pathogens in diapers. The U.S. and other countries will still rely on the paper and plastic for diabetes strips: silk is just too expensive outside regions where it’s made. The innovation is just one example of how so-called developing countries can hit upon methods tailor-made to address local conditions. There’s not one Continue reading >>
Why You Should Worry About The Accuracy Of Your Glucose Test Strips
True or false: The FDA guarantees the safety and accuracy of blood glucose test strips currently on the market. Answer: False. If I may quote from the website of StripSafely, a patient-run effort to ensure test strip quality, “The FDA reviews test strips presented by manufacturers before the strips can be marketed but not after. Strips can and do vary after they are marketed. There is no post market review.” Are you surprised? I certainly was. That’s why l attended last week’s summit led by David Klonoff of the Diabetes Technology Society in Bethesda, Maryland about a proposed post-market surveillance program for diabetes test strips. Klonoff is a clinical professor in the division of endocrinology and metabolism at UCSF; he founded the Diabetes Technology Society , which is a non-profit, non-governmental organization “committed to promoting development and use of technology in the fight against diabetes” in 2001. The meeting was a follow-up to a previous DTS gathering in May 2013 that focused on the overall issue of test strip quality. The upshot of that first meeting? There are quality issues. According to The Diabetes Care Project’s summary of two recent studies on the issue: The first study found that “of the 27 SMBG [self-monitoring of blood glucose] systems available in the United States, more than half of them (16) do not meet ISO standards, the common gold standard for meter accuracy.” The second found that “only three of seven SMBG systems sold in the United States consistently met ISO accuracy standards, and since this study was conducted, even tighter ISO standards have been adopted.” On the surface, this already sounds shocking – but let’s delve into what it actually means. First, ISO is the acronym for the International Standardiza Continue reading >>
Everything You Need To Know About Diabetes Test Strips
Update: A lot of our readers ask us where can they find the best deals for test strips. We personally recommend Amazon. You can check the list of selections they offer by clicking here. Blood glucose test strips play a crucial role in helping you to monitor your daily blood glucose level and giving your doctor the data to adjust your medication to control your diabetes symptoms. Without the help from these little disposable strips, life with diabetes can become even more chaotic than ever. But what exactly are these thin little plastic slip and why are they so expensive? Are there any alternative method I can use? Where can I get the best deal on these test strips? This article will answer many of your questions and concerns regarding these blood glucose test strips: Table of Contents History on Glucose Test Strips How Does the Test Strips Work Why Are the Strips So Expensive? And Why the Price Discrepancy? Why Must Diabetic Patients Use Glucometer and Test Strip? How Often Should You Administer A Blood Glucose Test? How to Find Out if Your Glucose Monitor is Accurate? How Accurate Are the Test Strips? How to Find Out if Your Glucose Monitor is Accurate? What is a Urine Glucose Test? Can’t I Use This Procedure Instead? Expiration of Test Strips Medicare Plan B Coverage for Glucose Test Strips Where to Get the Best Deal on Test Strips? Ways to Save of Test Strips How to Avoid Counterfeit Blood Glucose Test Strips Can You Reuse Test Strips? Can You Make Your Own Test Strip? 4 Most Affordable Meters How to Pick the Right Glucometer? How to Dispose Used Test Strips, Lancets, and Needles? What to Do with All These Test Strip Containers? Selling Your Glucose Test Strips A Good Idea? Odd Way to Earn Some Money Back Questions? History on Glucose Test Strips The first glucomet Continue reading >>
Buy Diabetic Blood Glucose Test Strips Online
Diabetic Blood Glucose Test Strips What are Diabetes Blood Glucose Test Strips? Diabetic test strips or glucometer strips are used in testing blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. Different factors such as medications, food or exercise can influence your blood sugar levels. Testing your blood sugar levels using a strip can help you know when to adjust your medications and diet. This will help you manage your condition better. The strips are disposable plastics strips which help patients with diabetes control their blood sugar levels. Controlling blood sugar levels is important because it can prevent the risk of serious diabetes complications like heart attack or stroke, blindness, nerve damage, kidney damage. There are different types of glucometer strips that you can find in the market today. However, they all mostly work the same way. Most strips are used together with a glucometer. A blood glucose meter is a device that help people with diabetes monitor and read the values of their blood sugar levels. Typically, a diabetic strip is inserted inside a blood glucose monitor so that it can be used to test blood sugar levels. In case you do not know how to use a diabetes strip, your doctor will show you how to use it at home. How to Use Glucometer Strips A diabetic test strip is made of several layers which serve different purposes. The top layer of the strip acts as a small sponge that soaks up blood when placed on it using a lancet. The middle layer acts as a filter, which moves your blood to the center of reaction. At the bottom of the strip there is a gold coated circuit, which transfers electrons that are reacting to the glucometer for analysis. To use a strip, you will need to draw a blood sample from your fingertip using a very small, special needle known as Continue reading >>
Blood Sugar (glucose) Test Strips
How often is it covered? Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers some diabetic test supplies, including blood sugar test strips as durable medical equipment (DME). Who's eligible? All people with Part B who have diabetes are covered. Your costs in Original Medicare If your supplier accepts assignment, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, and the Part B deductible applies. Medicare pays for different kinds of DME in different ways. Depending on the type of equipment: You may need to rent the equipment. You may need to buy the equipment. You may be able to choose whether to rent or buy the equipment. Medicare will only cover your DME if your doctors and DME suppliers are enrolled in Medicare. Doctors and suppliers have to meet strict standards to enroll and stay enrolled in Medicare. If your doctors or suppliers aren’t enrolled, Medicare won’t pay the claims submitted by them. It’s also important to ask your suppliers if they participate in Medicare before you get DME. If suppliers are participating suppliers, they must accept assignment. If suppliers are enrolled in Medicare but aren’t “participating,” they may choose not to accept assignment. If suppliers don't accept assignment, there’s no limit on the amount they can charge you. Competitive Bidding Program If you live in or visit certain areas, you may be affected by Medicare's Competitive Bidding Program. In most cases, Medicare will only help pay for these equipment and supplies if they're provided by contract suppliers when both of these apply: Contract suppliers can't charge you more than the 20% coinsurance and any unmet yearly deductible for any equipment or supplies included in the Competitive Bidding Program. You may need to use specific suppliers for some types of diabetes testing sup Continue reading >>
Going Undercover To Investigate Selling Test Strips For Cash
Maybe you've seen the "Diabetic Strips" signs on the side of the road in your state and also wondered what actually happens when you call one of the numbers listed... We wrote about organizations dealing in test strips cheap-for-cash in our post "Test Strip Charities" last year, but without the extra bonus of having an undercover "secret shopper" to check the service out. Now our talented cartoonist, D-Advocate and correspondent Mike Lawson offered to make that happen by following up on one of these surprising road-side signs. Read on to discover what Mike found out! Special to the 'Mine by Mr. Mike Lawson I felt like Woodward. No...I felt like Bernstein. Wait. Which one did Robert Redford play in All The President's Men? That's the one I felt like. I was sitting in a McDonald's parking lot in Scottsdale, Arizona, waiting for a man named Marcus to meet me so I could sell a box of 50 test strips. I arranged this meeting by calling a phone number that I saw on a road-side sign in Phoenix that said "Ca$h Paid For Diabetic Strips." It is not illegal for companies to buy and sell test strips like this — although the companies are required to register with the FDA and many fail to do so — yet this transaction still felt a little shady. When I called the number, for example, I wasn't greeted with a company name but just by a woman who identified herself as "Stephanie." Stephanie told me that there was no physical building for me to drop off the strips, but rather a courier would be sent to me. Stephanie also told me that the price paid for strips varied based on the brand and the expiration date. So I could sell this box of One Touch strips that I purchased for $10 on my private insurance to this unnamed company for $20. And this same box of strips will sell for $40 or mor Continue reading >>
What Is The Best Device To Measure My Blood Sugar Levels With?
The Diabetes Forum - find support, ask questions and share your experiences with 250,009 people. Join the Forum A Choosing the right meter will depend on the products available to you, the cost of test strips (if you need to buy you our own), NHS prescription availability and the most suitable device for your individual requirements. Some blood glucose meters can also check for the presence of ketones which is useful for people with type 1 diabetes or those who are otherwise susceptible to ketoacidosis. The following independent blood glucose meter reviews detail the types of blood glucose meters available in the UK, who they are made by, the range of features each meter brings and how to get one. In addition, you can read user reviews or leave your own review. Learn more about the recommended blood glucose level ranges as advised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). This will depend on the design interface favoured by the manufacturer, but some blood glucose monitors are definitely easier to use than others. For instance, some meters require a smaller drop of blood to give a reading and others have easier to navigate results and menus. In 2013, new and tighter accuracy standards (ISO standards) were issued for blood glucose meters to achieve. The previous accuracy guidelines were issued in 2003. Where a blood glucose has met the 2013 ISO standards, we have included this fact within our meter reviews. Because of the possible implications if they are inaccurate, most manufacturers make certain that their products give accurate readings. However, testing the meter regularly to ensure that it is still accurate is a good idea, as meters can become less accurate over time. You can check on the accura Continue reading >>
- World Diabetes Day 2017: Game-changing new app can measure glucose levels without a needle
- Israeli device banishes finger-pricking for sugar levels in diabetes patients
- World's first diabetes app will be able to check glucose levels without drawing a drop of blood and will be able to reveal what a can of coke REALLY does to sugar levels
Expired Diabetic Test Strips: Should You Use Them?
One of the biggest debates concerning diabetic test strips has always centered on the use of test strips beyond the expiration date. The reason for such a big swing on both sides is the fact that an expired box of test strips may read very close to a test strip that hasn’t expired (within 5 points on either side). This then leads the patient to believe that all expired test strips are fine to use as long as the strips aren’t ‘too old’. After combing several blogs, I’ve noticed that a large number of diabetic patients who use expired test strips believe the Pharmaceutical industry places an expiration date on test strips in order to generate a larger, more steady income. On the other hand, the patients who believe test strips expire seem to all have stories about getting incorrect readings when testing against newer dated test strips. So, is it true that the Pharmacy industry is setting expiration dates for their own personal gain? To find the correct answer, we must first understand what a test strip is actually made of in order to determine if an expiration date is really needed or not. What’s inside a Diabetic Test Strip? A Diabetic test strip, like the Nipro TRUEtest Glucose test strips, consists of a coating on the top layer in order to protect and seal the components and circuit of the strip. The sample chamber is the window in which your blood sample is initially placed on. The chamber has several different parts attached including the spacer, two adhesives that fit in between the spacer, and a liquid attracting layer. All of these parts combined assist in moving the blood sample to the strip known as the chemistry strip. The chemistry strip has two major components. The first is the enzyme which is a ‘living’ protein that attaches itself to glucos Continue reading >>
Diabetic Test Strips: Fsa Eligibility
Diabetic Test Strips: eligible with a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Diabetic test strips are eligible over-the-counter (OTC) products for reimbursement with a flexible spending account (FSA), health savings account (HSA) or a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA). Diabetic monitor reimbursement is not eligible with a limited care flexible spending account (LCFSA) or a dependent care flexible spending account (DCFSA). View Eligibility List What are diabetic test strips? Individuals who suffer from type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent diabetes) or type 2 diabetes (non-insulin dependent diabetes) are both prime candidates for regular blood glucose testing. Regularly examining these blood glucose (sugar) levels can be a helpful tool for some individuals with diabetes, while for others, it is a necessary part of their care regimen that must be checked in the event of exercise, food, medication and stress. Irregular blood glucose levels can lead to major health issues, including hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, or diabetic ketoacidosis. Diabetic test strips are used in conjunction with blood glucose meters to measure glucose levels in the blood. When blood glucose testing first made the transition from the doctor's office to patients' homes in the 1980s, diabetic test strips measured glucose by utilizing an enzyme that converted blood placed on the test strip into a proportional amount of dye. The blood glucose meter would then measure glucose by shining a beam of light onto the test spot, and the amount of light absorbed by the dye would determine blood glucose levels. These original home glucose tests were notoriously difficult and often inaccurate, but a major development in the 1990s dramatically improved the efficacy of these strips by incorporating electrochemistry. With t Continue reading >>
Glucose Meter
Four generations of blood glucose meter, c. 1993–2005. Sample sizes vary from 30 to 0.3 μl. Test times vary from 5 seconds to 2 minutes (modern meters typically provide results in 5 seconds). A glucose meter is a medical device for determining the approximate concentration of glucose in the blood. It can also be a strip of glucose paper dipped into a substance and measured to the glucose chart. It is a key element of home blood glucose monitoring (HBGM) by people with diabetes mellitus or hypoglycemia. A small drop of blood, obtained by pricking the skin with a lancet, is placed on a disposable test strip that the meter reads and uses to calculate the blood glucose level. The meter then displays the level in units of mg/dl or mmol/l. Since approximately 1980, a primary goal of the management of type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus has been achieving closer-to-normal levels of glucose in the blood for as much of the time as possible, guided by HBGM several times a day. The benefits include a reduction in the occurrence rate and severity of long-term complications from hyperglycemia as well as a reduction in the short-term, potentially life-threatening complications of hypoglycemia. History[edit] Leland Clark presented his first paper about the oxygen electrode, later named the Clark electrode, on 15 April 1956, at a meeting of the American Society for Artificial Organs during the annual meetings of the Federated Societies for Experimental Biology.[1][2] In 1962, Clark and Ann Lyons from the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital developed the first glucose enzyme electrode. This biosensor was based on a thin layer of glucose oxidase (GOx) on an oxygen electrode. Thus, the readout was the amount of oxygen consumed by GOx during the enzymatic reaction with the substra Continue reading >>
A Low-cost Inkjet-printed Glucose Test Strip System For Resource-poor Settings
Go to: Abstract The prevalence of diabetes is increasing in low-resource settings; however, accessing glucose monitoring is extremely difficult and expensive in these regions. Work is being done to address the multitude of issues surrounding diabetes care in low-resource settings, but an affordable glucose monitoring solution has yet to be presented. An inkjet-printed test strip solution is being proposed as a solution to this problem. Methods: The use of a standard inkjet printer is being proposed as a manufacturing method for low-cost glucose monitoring test strips. The printer cartridges are filled with enzyme and dye solutions that are printed onto filter paper. The result is a colorimetric strip that turns a blue/green color in the presence of blood glucose. Using a light-based spectroscopic reading, the strips show a linear color change with an R2 = .99 using glucose standards and an R2 = .93 with bovine blood. Initial testing with bovine blood indicates that the strip accuracy is comparable to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard 15197 for glucose testing in the 0-350 mg/dL range. However, further testing with human blood will be required to confirm this. A visible color gradient was observed with both the glucose standard and bovine blood experiment, which could be used as a visual indicator in cases where an electronic glucose meter was unavailable. These results indicate that an inkjet-printed filter paper test strip is a feasible method for monitoring blood glucose levels. The use of inkjet printers would allow for local manufacturing to increase supply in remote regions. This system has the potential to address the dire need for glucose monitoring in low-resource settings. Keywords: low-cost test strips, inkjet printing, glucose Continue reading >>
Glucose Testing
Glucose Testing Glucose Testing is a important and vital part of a diabetics daily health care. Without testing, a diabetic can become sick because their glucose levels are not where they need to be. Glucose testing is done by using a glucose testing meter, which uses a glucose testing strip. Glucose Testing Meter Steps for Testing Glucose To test for glucose one must drop a sample of blood by placing on the strip. This is done by poking the skin with a needle called a lancet. The lancet pricks the finger which allows the sample of blood to flow right onto the glucose strip. Once the blood sample has made it on to the glucose strip, a device called a glucose meter is used to measure the glucose in the blood. In each test strip, there is a chemical called glucose oxidase. This glucose oxidase reacts with the glucose in the blood sample and is created into a acid called gluconic acid. This current is then able to read and determine how much glucose is in the sample of blood on the testing strip. The number is then relayed on the screen of the glucose testing meter. Blood Glucose Meters A glucose meter is used to determine the approximate concentration of glucose in the blood. The glucose meter is a key element in monitoring diabetes can help test if the blood sugar is too high or low. Glucose meters are small and are handheld, they can fit in the palm of a hand. Glucose meters cost anywhere from $20 to the most advanced meters costing $500. Examples One Touch Verio Glucose Meter System The One Touch Verio glucose meter is practical, reliable, and affordable. This glucose meter provides instant notifications of high and low blood sugar trends, unsurpassed accuracy, and requires a very small blood sample size. The Verio glucose meter is one of the more recent and efficient Continue reading >>
