Point-of-care blood glucose analyser is proving to be a valuable screening and diagnostic tool for primary care units seeking to meet healthcare targets for diabetes
A POC blood glucose analyser that provides laboratory quality results in seconds is proving to be a valuable screening and diagnostic tool for primary care units seeking to deliver healthcare targets in line with the NHS Plan and National Service Framework (NSF) for diabetes, to be implemented from April 2003. As requests for glucose tests increase to meet the demand for earlier diagnosis and tighter control of diabetes, Primary Care Trusts will need to focus on achieving standards of clinical quality and care within an expanded range of services delivered locally.
The recommendation to provide screening with biannual testing of all those with elevated risk including the elderly, the obese, pregnant mothers and those with a familial history of the disease, will necessitate a radical rethink of how such screening is to be implemented.
By avoiding the cost and delay of central testing, the portable HemoCue analysers detect subtle changes in glucose levels even before 'diagnostic values' are reached, which makes them ideal for test screens and profiling of pregnant women and high-risk individuals, as well as tight blood glucose control of established cases.
The consequences of missed diagnosis can be severe and include renal, neural and cardiovascular damage, blindness, limb loss and pregnancy complications.
Microalbuminuria is the earliest clinical evidence of nephropathy and a marker of greatly increased cardiovascular morbidity in patients suffering from diabetes or hypertension.
The HemoCue Urine Albumin analyser, combining operational simplicity with exceptional analytical sensitivity and specificity, allows early detection of microalbuminuria, and reduces the impact of further deterioration by indicating the need for early treatment.
The analyser provides the flexibility needed to quickly identify those individuals at risk and to monitor existing patients.
Improved measurement techniques are in line with the government's new National Service Framework for Diabetes which aims to 'develop, implement and monitor strategies to identify diabetes' and to 'minimise the impact of the long-term complications by early detection and effective treatment'.
The analysers are backed by comprehensive QA and data management capabilities - exactly the requirements needed for compliance with the NSF guidelines and standards.
Across the NHS there is a determined move to reduce the impact of diabetes on individuals - early diagnosis and subsequent monitoring, support and care are key intervention strategies ensuring that new government standards are met.
