Now, more than ever before, health practitioners have access to more tools to diagnose, measure and manage their patient's health. In 2015 when the National Pathology Accreditation Advisory Council developed the first edition of Guidelines for Point of Care Testing, it was recognised that "the use of Point of Care testing (POCT) in Australia is increasing and will become more widespread in the future". Diabetes is one area where significant advances have been made. Now your Medical Practice can integrate the latest POCT technologies to include HbA1c testing?
Introducing the A1CNow+
- Provides accurate results in 5 minutes
- Easy to use with minimal training
- Compact, portable diagnostic meter
- Uses capilliary or venous blood samples
- Needs only a 5µL blood sample
- Easy to read LCD
What is HbA1c?
Technically, sugar binds to haemoglobin to form a new complex. This sugar–haemoglobin complex is called glycosylated (or glycated) haemoglobin, otherwise known as HbA1c (HbA = haemoglobin; 1c = glycosylated). Once red blood cells become glycosylated, they stay glycosylated until they die (about 3 months). As red blood cells die, new ones are produced. If the new blood cells are not glycosylated – due to better blood glucose control – then the overall HbA1c will decrease.
How is HbA1c tested?
Unlike Blood Glucose Level (BGL) tests that you do daily with a glucose meter, HbA1c tests need to be done by healthcare professionals – ideally 2 to 4 times a year. Traditionally, a venous blood draw is taken and the blood is sent to a laboratory to measure the HbA1c levels. Now hospitals and private practice can provide HbA1c ‘point of care testing’ (POCT) where a person’s HbA1c is tested on the spot. Using the new A1Cnow+ POCT device and a finger prick of blood from the patient, a test will provide the result within minutes.
What do HbA1c tests measure?
The HbA1c test counts the number of red blood cells that are glycosylated (attached to sugar) and reports it as a percentage – for example, if 7 out of every 100 red blood cells are attached to sugar, the HbA1c result will be 7%. This is different from BGL tests, which measure the amount of sugar that is freely circulating in the blood – and, as such, use a different unit of measure (millimoles of sugar per litre of blood – mmol/L).
What should HbA1c levels be?
For most adults with diabetes, regardless of whether it’s type 1 or type 2, the general HbA1c target is <7.0%; that is, ideally, 7% or less of red blood cells should be glycosylated. HbA1c levels of 8.0% or above may indicate that tighter control of blood glucose levels is required. As a reference point, in adults who don’t have diabetes, the HbA1c levels are usually between 4.0 to 6.0%. The lower the HbA1c level in people with diabetes, the higher the risk of hypoglycaemia, so this and other factors, such as pregnancy, are also taken into consideration.
Why is testing HbA1c levels important?
HbA1c levels do not fluctuate quickly because once red blood cells are glycosylated, they remain that way until they die (up to 3 months). For this reason, HbA1c levels give a picture of blood glucose control over a long period of time. HbA1c is also the only proven indicator of a person’s risk of developing complications such as stroke, heart attack, nerve damage or damage to small blood vessels in the kidneys and eyes. Blood glucose level tests, on the other hand, cannot give this type of information. As a person’s blood glucose level can be significantly (and immediately) influenced by various factors, including activity, food intake and stress levels, it can fluctuate many times during the day. Consequently, blood glucose levels are a picture of a moment in time and cannot be relied upon to accurately give information to reflect a person’s long-term diabetes management.
Easily measure the long term glycemic control of diabetic patients with the A1C Now+ HbA1c diagnostic meter. The integrated design measures the percentage of glycated haemoglobin utilising both immunoassay and chemistry techniques. Supplied with 20 test cartridges.
Features:
- Provides accurate results in 5 minutes
- Easy to use with minimal training
- Compact, portable diagnostic meter
- Uses capilliary or venous blood samples
- Needs only a 5µL blood sample
- Easy to read LCD
Supplied With:
- A1C Now+ Diagnostic Meter
- 20 Test Cartridges
- 20 Sampling Kits (20 Blood Collectors and 20 Samplers)
Easily measure the long term glycemic control of diabetic patients with the A1C Now+ HbA1c diagnostic meter. The integrated design measures the percentage of glycated haemoglobin utilising both immunoassay and chemistry techniques. Supplied with 10 test cartridges.
Features:
- Provides accurate results in 5 minutes
- Easy to use with minimal training
- Compact, portable diagnostic meter
- Uses capilliary or venous blood samples
- Needs only a 5µL blood sample
- Easy to read LCD
Supplied With:
- A1C Now+ Diagnostic Meter
- 10 Test Cartridges
- 10 Sampling Kits (10 Blood Collectors and 10 Samplers)
Need more Information?
We shared, and they listened to our vision. They supported that vision directly by providing detailed suggestion, guidance and insights into the medical equipment and products we needed, so we could set up our new medical centres from scratch. They worked on a plan and to a timeline with us. They followed that to a ‘T’ when delivering products, installing and setting them up and then conducting technical training on all equipment. While all this made the opening of our four Apollo Health sites so seamless, it has been and continues to be the after sales service, support, ongoing training and regular contact from the AMA Medical Products team that is first class. We order online and we get our products delivered quick and usually the same day. As a group, we are wrapped with the guys at AMA Medical Products.
Nicole
I cannot thank you enough for your prompt reply and for expediting this order. The ease of ordering and your very kind offer to waiver extra charge for express delivery is second to none. The stethoscope arrived yesterday morning and is now wrapped ready for our presentation tomorrow evening. The stethoscope is for one of our volunteer ambulance officers who has just been selected by St John Ambulance WA as a student for their next intake of trainee paramedics. Getting this gift on time will allow us to thank him for all his contributions over the past 18 months and will allow our volunteer team to feel like they are giving him a special send off.
Michael
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