GlycoMark Blood Test Included in Global Diabetes Care Guidelines as Emerging ...( AMSTERDAM Netherlands Sept. 25 /-...),Health

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Sept. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- At the 2007 annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) issued the new global diabetes guidelines of diabetes care which includes the management of postmeal glucose. These guidelines include the GlycoMark blood test as a new emerging technology to measure postmeal glucose.

In a released statement, the IDF indicated that the guideline emphasizes that people with diabetes should have their blood glucose levels closely monitored after meals in order to optimize diabetes control and reduce the risk of complications, particularly cardiovascular disease. This new approach to managing postmeal glucose will assist clinicians and organizations in developing effective strategies for managing diabetes.

"Diabetes is now recognized as one of the largest epidemics humanity has ever faced and a leading cause of death. It accounts for 3.8 million deaths per year, many of which are related to cardiovascular disease. This new advancement underscores the importance for people with diabetes and their healthcare providers to adopt all possible ways to better manage the disease," said Professor Stephen Colagiuri, Chair of the IDF Task Force on Clinical Guidelines.

The new IDF Guideline recommends that people with diabetes try to keep postmeal blood glucose levels to less than 7.8 mmol/l (140 mg/dl) two hours following a meal. IDF advises SMBG (self-monitoring of blood glucose) because it is the most practical method for measuring postmeal glucose and it allows people with diabetes to obtain "real-time" information about their glucose levels. This information enables people with diabetes and their healthcare providers to make timely adjustments in their treatment regimens to achieve and maintain their blood glucose levels within target. The guideline also includes the 1,5-anhydroglucitol blood test (GlycoMark) and continuous glucose monitor
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