Product: Maxima Blood Glucose Monitoring System
Manufacturer: US Diagnostics
(866) 216-5308
www.usdiagnostics.net
What it does: The Maxima’s 0.5-microliter blood sample, which can be drawn from the fingertips, forearms, calves, thighs, or palms, is the smallest blood sample required by any meter in the US Diagnostics line. This meter can provide averages for periods from 14 to 90 days, and the memory has a capacity of 250 readings. Results can be transferred to a computer with a cable, sold separately, and analyzed with the US Diagnostics software program, scheduled to be available by the end of 2008.
The Maxima Blood Glucose Monitoring System is backed up by a lifetime warranty.
Availability: The Maxima Blood Glucose Monitoring System was released in October 2007 and is available from select pharmacies, online retailers, and mail-order distributors.
Product: OneTouch UltraLink
Manufacturer: LifeScan, Inc.
(800) 227-8862
www.lifescan.com
What it does: The newest addition to the OneTouch line of blood glucose meters, the OneTouch UltraLink can wirelessly communicate monitoring results to either Medtonic’s MiniMed Paradigm REAL-Time System or its Guardian REAL-Time System (both of them continuous glucose monitoring systems). The meter requires a blood sample size of 1 microliter, can use blood samples from the fingertips, palms, or forearms, and returns results in 5 seconds. Readings can be flagged as before- or after-meal, and averages for these categories can be calculated, which may be helpful for determining how food choices affect blood glucose levels. The meter can store up to 500 results in its memory, and averages for 7-, 14-, and 30-day periods are available. Information can be uploaded to a computer and analyzed using either Medtronic’s CareLink Personal Software or LifeScan’s OneTouch Diabetes Management Software.
Availability: The OneTouch UltraLink is currently available to Medtronic Diabetes customers.
Product: Prodigy Voice
Manufacturer: Diagnostic Devices, Inc.
(800) 366-5901
www.prodigymeter.com
What it does: The recipient of the National Federation of the Blind’s Access Plus Award, the Prodigy Voice has a number of features designed specially for people who are blind or have limited sight, including audible instructions, readings, memory records, and averages; a repeat button that allows the user to replay a message or blood glucose result; and buttons that can be identified by touch. The no-code meter, which is equipped with an earphone jack that can be used for listening to messages privately, automatically turns on when a test strip is inserted and has an eject button for expelling used test strips. The Prodigy Voice requires a 0.6-microliter blood drop from the fingertip, palm, forearm, upper arm, thigh, or calf, and it returns results in 6 seconds. Up to 450 results can be stored in the memory, and averaging for 7-, 14-, 21-, 28-, 60-, and 90-day periods is available.
