Diabetes is a common disease caused by high sugar (glucose) level in blood. This condition is called Hyperglycaemia and is caused by reduced insulin secretion or action. Insulin is a hormone that is secreted from the pancreas. The major role of this hormone is to regulate sugar level in blood. There are two types of diabetes: I and II. Type I is characterized by absolute deficiency of insulin production so it is called Insulin-Dependent type. Type II is characterised by relative deficiency of insulin, which means that insulin is produced in lower amounts or it does not act properly. This type is called Non-Insulin-Dependent. As the level of glucose increases in the blood above the kidney capacity it starts to appear in the urine. So, measuring the presence of glucose in urine can be used as tool to check for diabetes.
 
Persons with diabetes are more susceptible to develop specific complications such as retinopathy (A pathological disorder of the retina) with blindness, kidney failure, nerve damage and circulatory problems, which may lead to heart disease and stroke. Therefore, detection of glucose and seeking early medical assistance as applicable could help preventing the development of these symptoms.
 
In diagnosis of diabetes, doctors always advise to check for Ketones to further confirm the diabetic status. Ketones are group of organic compounds that result from the metabolism of fatty acids. Normal people use glucose as energy source. In diabetic people, glucose is not passed to the cells, so cells will use fatty acids as the energy source instead. The less glucose absorbed by cells (as in case when the diabetes is more advanced) the fattier acids are consumed and accordingly more ketone is produced. This condition is known as diabetic ketoacidosis. As the level of ketone increase in the blood, it will start to appear in urine.
 
INTENDED USE:
 
Atlas Diabetic Check kit contains a dip-and-read test strips and intended for use to check for glucose and Ketones level in urine specimens as an aid in diagnosing diabetes. The test provides results by the visual comparison with colour chart printed on the pouch. Each colour denotes a range of concentrations of glucose and Ketones.