PAPA GAZETTE

Editorial Advisory Board

In the US alone there are over 9 million people diagnosed with diabetes and of those 9 million about 3 million use a Glucometer on a regular basis.

      The target population is of course the elderly, therefore, the best meter would have to be easy to use and easy to read. 

The most commonly used meters are One Touch, FastTake, AccuCheck Advantage, and Glucometer Elite, of these meter the following criteria will be analyzed to determine the Glucometer of choice:

1. Speed of results

2. Special features

3. Cost

 

      One Touch – These meters can all download results using diabetes management software expect the One Touch Basic monitor.  One of the questionable aspects of these machines is that only whole blood is measured, which causes a 12% difference in actual plasma readings.

 

      FastTake – This meter is probably one of the more favorable ones on the market.  It has the capability to test serum glucose, uses small amounts of blood, tests within 15sec., and it is downloadable using LifeScan software.

    

       AccuCheck        Advantage – This meter is considerably larger than most meters on the market, which can be a disadvantage due to inconvenience.  However, it is easy enough to use that even children can test their blood glucose with ease.

 

      Asencia (Glucometer) Elite – Regarding comfort this meter is one of the better ones on the market.  The test

strips used in this meter work via capillary action.  The strip itself sucks blood into the chamber therefore, its design uses the least amount of blood.  However, one of the weaknesses of this meter is in the foil wrapping of the test strips.  If the foil is taken off too quickly the contacts; that are placed in the machine, will fall off.

 

Speed of Results –

 

Accucheck Advantage - 40 seconds        

            

One Touch (Basic) – 45 seconds

 

One Touch (Profile) – 45 seconds

                                                                

FastTake – 15 seconds

Ascencia (Glucometer) Elite – 25  seconds

 

Special Features –

Accucheck Advantage – can be downloaded, uses the touchable strips that most patients are familiar with and can store up to 100 tests.  Accucheck Complete on the other hand can download over 1,000 results (highest memory available) and also helps average a patient’s day to day readings.

 

FastTake – can store up to 150 results and averages about 14 readings at a time.  It has a screen that is large and easy to read, which would be convenient for our elderly patients to use.  It is also now available in a smaller, more compact version that can fit in a shirt pocket for easy travel use.

 

One Touch – the basic meter can only hold the one time reading and uses the most blood (which equates to more pain).  Compared to the more advanced meters the One Touch Basic is considered almost obsolete. 

 

Ascencia (Glucometer) Elite – has a large

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