SBIR in PDF Format

                    Diabetes typically is a chronic, progressively debilitating disease whereby the body loses its ability to maintain normal glucose levels. Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death by disease in the United States and has no cure. Diabetes can lead to severe long term health complications, including blindness, kidney disease, heart disease, stroke, nerve damage and peripheral vascular disease, potentially leading to amputation. The American Diabetes Association, or ADA, estimates that 15.7 million people or 5.9% of the population in the United States have diabetes. The ADA estimates that in 1997 total U.S. healthcare expenditures incurred by people with diabetes exceeded $75.0 billion and diabetes-related hospitalizations totaled 13.9 million days, with a mean length-of-stay of 5.4 days. Current methods for measuring glucose, whereby skin is lanced and a blood sample is obtained for measurement, are painful and inconvenient to the user. The vast majority of people with diabetes do not perform frequent glucose testing, despite substantial clinical evidence of the benefits of more intensive diabetes management. The ADA estimates that on average people with diagnosed diabetes only test slightly more than once per day.
                 Current methods for measuring glucose, whereby skin is lanced and a blood sample is obtained for measurement, are painful and inconvenient to the user. The vast majority of people with diabetes do not perform frequent glucose testing, despite substantial clinical evidence of the benefits of more intensive diabetes management. 
The ADA estimates that on average people with diagnosed diabetes only test slightly more than once per day.
            It is very important that a diabetic follows the treatment that his/her doctor or diabetes nurse has advised. Diabetic person will feel much better if his/her blood glucose levels as near normal as possible. Blood glucose levels are measured in millimols per liter of blood. This is shortened to mmol/l. Diabetic patient should aim for a level of 4 - 7 mmol/l before meals, rising to no higher than 10 mmol/l two hours after meals, according to Dr. Michael in an interview. The doctor or diabetes nurse will advise diabetics on what is best for them. After a number of years, diabetes can lead to serious problems in your eyes, kidneys, nerves, gums and teeth, and blood vessels. The best way to take care of diabetic health is to work with the doctor to lower high blood sugar. People with diabetes should consult their health care providers for individual guidelines on target blood sugar ranges that are best for them. The lowest safe blood sugar level for an individual varies, depending on the person's age, medical condition, and ability to sense hypoglycemic symptoms.
            A target range that is safe for a young adult with no diabetes complications, for example, may be too low for a young child or an older person who may have other medical problems. Because they are attuned to the symptoms, people with diabetes can usually recognize when their blood sugar levels are dropping too low. They can treat the condition quickly by eating or drinking something with sugar in it such as candy, juice, or non-diet soda. Taking glucose tablets or gels (available in drug stores) is another convenient and quick way to treat hypoglycaemia. People with Type 1 diabetes are most vulnerable to severe insulin reactions, which can cause loss of consciousness. A few patients with long-standing insulin-dependent diabetes may develop a condition known as hypoglycaemia unawareness, in which they have difficulty recognizing the symptoms of low blood sugar. For emergency use in patients with Type 1 diabetes, physicians often prescribe an injectable form of the hormone glucagon. A glucagon injection (given by another person) quickly eases the symptoms of low blood sugar, releasing a burst of glucose into the blood. Emergency medical help may be needed if the person does not recover in a few minutes after treatment for hypoglycaemia. A person suffering a severe insulin reaction may be admitted to the hospital so that blood sugar can be stabilized. People with diabetes can reduce or prevent episodes of hypoglycaemia by monitoring their blood sugar levels frequently and learning to recognize the symptoms of low blood sugar and the situations that may trigger it. They should consult their health care providers for advice about the best way to treat low blood sugar. Friends and relatives should know about the symptoms of hypoglycaemia and how to treat it in case of emergency. Episodes of hypoglycaemia in people with Type 1 diabetes may become more common now that research has shown that carefully controlled blood sugar helps prevent the complications of diabetes. Keeping blood sugar in a close-to-normal range requires multiple injections of insulin each day or use of an insulin pump, frequent testing of blood glucose, a diet and exercise plan, and guidance from health care professionals. 
            Hyperglycemia is when a diabetic blood sugar stays over 13.3 mmol/l. High blood sugar usually comes on slowly. It happens when a diabetic don't have enough insulin in his/her body. High blood sugar can happen if diabetic misses taking diabetes medicine, or eat too much, or don't get enough exercise. Sometimes, medicines diabetics take for other problems may cause high blood sugar. Having an infection or being sick or under stress can also make a diabetics blood sugar too high. That is why it is very important to test ones blood and keep taking medicine (insulin or diabetes pills) continuously, especially when a diabetics have an infection or are sick.  Diabetics’ blood sugar may be too high if you are very thirsty and tired, have blurry vision, are losing weight fast, and have to go to the bathroom often. Very high blood sugar may make Diabetics feel sick to their stomach, faint, or throw up. It can cause diabetics to lose too much fluid from their body.