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Welcome to QAS;
A trusted name in home and professional diagnostic device sales, service, technical support,
insurance reimbursement assistance, distribution and education for over 6 years.
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| From the FDA |
Rapid HIV test receives FDA approval
The Food and Drug Administration approved in December a rapid HIV testing kit manufactured by Dublin-based Trinity Biotech.
The test, called the Uni-Gold Recombigen HIV Test, can detect HIV genetic material in blood serum, plasma, and whole blood
samples in 10 minutes.
In trials of more than 9,000 patients, the test detected 100% of HIV-positive blood samples and was 99.7% accurate on negative
blood samples. The company plans to market the test to hospitals, physicians, and government programs, initially focusing on
testing of health workers who accidentally expose themselves to HIV through needlestick injuries and pregnant women considered
at risk for mother-to-child HIV transmissions.
For individuals, QAS offers a home test to screen for HIV infection that is completely confidential. For more information,
please see www.hometestmed.com.
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Anticoagulation
News |
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Patient Advocacy Needed in INR Self-Monitoring
INR self-monitoring exists, in part, because of patient self-help and support groups in the late 1980s that advocated
for ongoing treatment options that improve quality of life. These self-help and mutual support groups were successful
in increasing self-monitoring therapies primarily in European countries such as Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands.
Today, patients want to increase consumer advocacy and support groups in the United States. Such advocacy could improve
reimbursement rates and quality assurance for self-monitoring products in the US. These groups also empower both patients
and their families to take responsibility for their care and represent themselves in health care policy, practice, and
funding decisions that affect them.
The Anti-Coagulation Forum (www.acforum.org) is interested in stimulating and supporting a new patient advocacy group
in the United States. If you, your family member, or your patient could benefit from participation, please contact QAS for
further information by phone at 1-800-298-4515 or email wcarley@qasmail.com.
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| Readers Comments |
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Viral Cure for Diabetes Discovered
Researchers in California recently discovered a virus that could possibly provide an inoculation against type 1 diabetes.
Doctors from the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology found that when pre-diabetic mice were exposed to lymphocytic
choriomeningitis virus, the virus completely abolished the diabetic process.
The data showed the viral infection apparently stimulated the immune system enough to fend off diabetes. The findings
appear in the Jan. 2 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation. In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas fails to produce
sufficient insulin for the body. The Californian scientists involved say that viruses could help humans threatened by
Type I diabetes.
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New Treatment |
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Virtual Colonoscopy Proves Effective
Findings from a recent study show that virtual colonoscopy is as effective as traditional colonoscopy in detecting polyps,
the growths from which most colon cancers develop. The new method uses a C.T. scanner to X-ray the walls of the colon,
creating detailed, three-dimensional images. The virtual screening test takes only 15 minutes, compared with the 30-minute
traditional colonoscopy. The new test is pain-free and does not require sedation, unlike the traditional colonoscopy in
which patients are sedated while a doctor threads a long flexible tube into the colon.
The study, conducted at the University of Wisconsin, included 1,233 people ages 50 to 79 who agreed to have a virtual
colonoscopy and then, immediately afterward, a traditional one for comparison. The doctors doing the traditional
colonoscopies did not know what the virtual ones had found. Each method, the investigators report, found more than 90 percent
of polyps at least 8 millimeters in diameter and about 88 percent of those at least 6 millimeters across.
While researchers have experimented with virtual colonoscopies in the past, this study was the first that demonstrated
efficacy in detecting polyps. Researchers attribute the success of this study to new computer methods. Researchers used
a computer program that revealed the colon in three dimensions, whereas most other virtual colonoscopy has involved
two-dimensional slices created from C.T. scan images.
In the new study, about 54 percent of patients said regular colonoscopy was more uncomfortable than virtual, about
38 percent said virtual was more uncomfortable and about 8 percent were undecided. But almost 70 percent of the patients
said virtual colonoscopy was more convenient.
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Life Style |
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Study Shows Spice Benefits for Diabetics
Results from a recent study show that people with diabetes can improve their health by simply eating cinnamon regularly.
In the study, diabetics who incorporated one gram, equivalent to less than one-quarter teaspoon, of cinnamon per day for
40 days into their normal diets experienced a decrease in levels of blood sugar, cholesterol and blood fats.
Conducted at the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center in Maryland, study findings suggest that a small amount of
cinnamon can help protect diabetics from potential complications of their condition, including heart disease, kidney failure,
and blindness. Researchers also note that cinnamon may also help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes in people at risk for
the condition.
During the study, 60 people with type 2 diabetes consumed 1, 3, or 6 grams of cinnamon each day for 40 days, or the
equivalent amount of wheat flour, as a placebo. Both the cinnamon and wheat flour were administered in capsule form.
Researchers found that all cinnamon-takers experienced a drop in blood levels of glucose, fats, and cholesterol by up to 30 percent. No change was seen in the people taking placebo capsules.
Cinnamon contains compounds that help make insulin more efficient, improving the hormone's ability to bring glucose to
the cells that need it. As an added bonus, cinnamon contains virtually no calories. Previous research has shown that
cinnamon appears to help fat cells recognize and respond to insulin. In test tube and in animal studies, the spice
increased glucose metabolism by about 20 times.
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Tech Talk |
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Laser Treatment for Prostate Cancer
Researchers believe lasers might be useful in treating prostate cancer, the most common form of cancer among men. A team at
University College London is carrying out trials using photodynamic therapy (PDT) to safely treat prostate cancer and prevent
the side effects of more invasive surgeries. The technique is already used to treat some cancers, including those in the head,
neck, lungs and oesophagus.
The treatment uses lasers or other light sources combined with light sensitive drugs, which are injected into the patient's
body to kill cancer cells. The drugs circulate to all tissues but do not start to work until they are activated by the laser
or another light source. Researchers hope men could eventually have photodynamic therapy as outpatient treatment, making it
more convenient. The current study will help medical researchers understand how lasers are effective in destroying cancers
while preserving both the anatomy of the prostate and the function of important nerves.
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Fitness Watch |
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The importance of exercise and aging
Exercise is considered one of the most important actions you can take to age well. The benefits of physical activity are seemingly endless and can include weight control, improved circulation of blood and oxygen, increased muscle mass, better mood and improved balance.
"Doing some sort of exercise is very important for maintaining your functionality as you get older," says Paul Takahashi, M.D., a specialist in geriatrics at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. "And it's absolutely never too late to start."
Even in moderate amounts, exercise can help you enjoy life and avoid diseases that many people mistakenly believe come automatically with age. You can reduce your risk of dying prematurely by almost half if you exercise every day or nearly every day. You can greatly reduce the risk of the following conditions by regular physical activity.
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Osteoporosis
- Depression and anxiety
- Osteoarthitis
- Falls and broken bones
- Some kinds of cancer
Exercise can also enhance your mood and help you manage stress and sleep more soundly.
The following are important points to remember about exercising during middle age and beyond:
- Consider a checkup first. See your doctor before starting a vigorous exercise program, particularly if you have chronic health
condition.
- Start slowly. Try not to overdo it. Exercising too long or too intensely when starting out can have unwelcome side affects.
Be sure to make stretching a part of your routine. When you feel stronger, gradually increase the amount or intensity of your
exercise.
- Enjoy your exercise. Pick something you enjoy doing and have fun. Exercise outside if the weather is agreeable.
- Aim for 30 minutes or more of exercise several days of the week. This can be done all at once or accumulated throughout
the day - for example, a 10-minute walk in the morning, 10 minutes of climbing stairs in the afternoon and another 10-minute
walk after dinner.
- Be creative. Although certain conditions may prevent you from doing certain activities, almost everyone can participate in
some form of physical activity. For example, if you have arthritis, you may do well with pool or water exercise. And exercise
can include many common household chores and lifestyle activities, such as walking the dog, washing the car or raking the yard.
Talk with your doctor about what will work best for you.
- Pace yourself. If you're unable to talk while exercising, you're probably working too hard. You should be breathing hard or
be slightly out of breath but still be able to engage in conversation.
- Know when to stop. Stop exercising and seek immediate care if you feel tightness in your chest or have severe shortness of
breath, chest pain or pain in your arms or jaw, or you experience heart palpitations, dizziness or faintness.
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| Product
of the Month |
The perfect
Valentine gift for someone special in your
life.
CardioChek is a must for your health management
The CardioChek™ is
a hand-held medical diagnostics system to monitor key health
indicators including total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol,
triglycerides and others such as glucose and ketones
in the comfort of your own home.
With the
CardioChek™
instrument and the PTS PANELS™ Test Strips, you now have
a health management system in your hands.
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Valentine Special Starter Kit
for
QAS newsletter customers only
$279.00
1-800-298-4515
Your
starter kit includes:
CardioChek Analyzer
6 Cholesterol Tests
6 HDL Cholesterol Tests
6 Triglycerides
Multi-Chemistry Controls
HDL Controls
EZ Lancets
* Single
test capability for both Cholesterol screening
and Diabetes monitoring.
* Easy-to-Use
* Results in about a minute
* Accurate results
* Internal result storage/review
* FDA approved
Visit QAS on-line to
find out more about these products or call us toll free at: 1-800-298-4515.
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