Bayer Healthcare announced today that its CONTOUR Next EZ blood glucose monitoring system has been FDA-approved for use in the U.S.
With its meter and test strip sensors, the company said in a press release that the system’s level of accuracy exceeds the requirements for the measurement of glucose, providing a “stable, high signal-to-noise ratio.” This is important because it reduces errors and transfers the readings faster to medical professionals waiting for it.
Bayer said that the monitor showed a high level of accuracy when used by both physicians and patients.
In January, engineers at Brown University reported they had designed a biochip that can measure glucose levels in saliva almost as accurately as current devices can measure levels in blood. According to cnet.com, glucose levels are 100 times more concentrated in blood than in saliva.
There are even devices out there that can measure levels of glucose through your breath. Though still undergoing research and not yet available in the U.S., Easy Check, a non-invasive device, can show a patient’s glucose level by measuring the amount of acetone in the breath.
Diabetics must measure their glucose, or blood sugar, levels because the amount of glucose stored in the body can sometimes mean the difference between life and death. If measurements come up lacking, either too much or too little glucose in the blood, other steps may need to be taken, all of which is picked up by glucose monitoring systems and relayed to healthcare professionals or caregivers.
Glucose comes from carbohydrates and is the main source of energy used by the body. Too much glucose can result in heart disease and stroke, kidney disease, vision problems, and nerve problems in people with diabetes at any age.
Too little glucose can cause dizziness, fainting, fast heartbeat and fatigue and is actually more dangerous than too much glucose in the blood.
Edited by
Carrie Schmelkin
