Bayer's A1CNow SELFCHECK, cleared by the Food and Drug Administration last year, is the first and only system of its kind with at-home results in five minutes. It enables patients to more closely watch their A1C level in between doctor visits so they may have a more informed discussion with their healthcare provider to ensure their diabetes plan is working.

Measuring A1C levels is important for diabetes management, as even a one-percent point reduction in A1C may lower the risk of complications by up to 40 percent.(1)

"A1C testing is an important measure of long-term diabetes management," said Olivier Jarry, Chief Operating Officer for Bayer Diabetes Care. "Bayer's A1CNow SELFCHECK provides patients with a new way to partner with their healthcare providers to help meet their blood sugar goals over time."

A1CNow SELFCHECK complements the healthcare provider-administered A1C test but is not intended to replace it or routine blood glucose testing. Bayer's A1CNow SELFCHECK, when used in conjunction with blood glucose meters, such as Bayer's CONTOUR® or BREEZE®2 blood glucose meters, lets people with diabetes know where they stand with respect to their treatment goals.

A1CNow SELFCHECK comes as a 2-test-kit for a suggested sale price of $29.99. For more information or to find out where you can buy this meter, visit http://www.a1cnowselfcheck.com/or http://www.simplewins.com/. These websites also contain valuable educational information for patients to help them better understand and track their A1C progress.

About A1C (5, 6, 7)

A1C is a measure of how much sugar is attached to hemoglobin - a protein inside the red blood cells. The more sugar there is in the blood, the more will stick to hemoglobin, which increases a patient's A1C level. Once it sticks, sugar remains on the hemoglobin for the life of the red blood cell, about three months.

An A1C reading provides the average blood sugar level over the past 2-3 months and indicates how well your treatment plan is working. A1C levels, for most people without diabetes, range from four to six percent. For most patients with diabetes, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends an A1C under seven percent. A1C levels higher than seven percent may increase the risk of developing complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, eye disease, nerve damage, amputations and circulation problems.

The ADA recommends performing an A1C test at least two times a year in patients who are meeting treatment goals and have stable glycemic control. The ADA recommends testing four times a year for patients whose therapy has changed or are not meeting glycemic goals.

Bayer Diabetes Care

Bayer Diabetes Care is a worldwide leader in diabetes care, supporting customers in 100 countries and, for more than 40 years, has led the way in diabetes care product innovation. Bayer introduced the first portable blood glucose meter and test strips, innovated the measurement of A1C (glycated hemoglobin) with A1CNow+® and A1CNow® SELFCHECK and was the first to offer a suite of blood glucose monitors (CONTOUR® and BREEZE®2) with No Coding(TM) technology. Additionally, Bayer's meters feature no interference from maltose and galactose, making diabetes management easier. Today, Bayer Diabetes Care offers an unparalleled choice in diabetes monitoring systems and comprehensive support including education, tools and resources designed to simplify life with diabetes. Bayer Diabetes Care is a business of the Bayer HealthCare LLC, Medical Care Division and has its global headquarters located in Tarrytown, New York. For more information visit http://www.bayerdiabetes.com/, or in the U.S. http://www.simplewins.com/.

Bayer HealthCare

The Bayer Group is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, nutrition and high-tech materials. Bayer HealthCare, a subsidiary of Bayer AG, is one of the world's leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry and is based in Leverkusen, Germany. The company combines the global activities of the Animal Health, Consumer Care, Medical Care and Pharmaceuticals divisions. The pharmaceuticals business operates under the name Bayer Schering Pharma. Bayer HealthCare's aim is to discover and manufacture products that will improve human and animal health worldwide. Find more information at http://www.bayerhealthcare.com/.

1. Association of glycaemia with macrovascular and microvascular complications of type 2 diabetes (UKPDS 35): prospective observational study BMJ 2000;321:405-412.
2. http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-statistics/prevalence.jsp Last accessed May 11, 2009
3. http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/pdf/search.pdf. Last accessed May 4, 2009
4. http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/general.htm Last accessed May 4, 2009
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National diabetes fact sheet: general information and national estimates on diabetes in the United States, 2003.http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/pdf/ndfs_2003.pdf. Last accessed May 11, 2009..
6. http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/treatment-and-care/blood-glucose- control/a1c/
7. American Diabetes Association. Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes - 2010. Diabetes Care, 2010; 33(1): S11-61.

* * *

Source: PRNewswire press release