Coagucheck US Availability

[Philip]

It is time for me to start thinking about home testing to supplement the Coumadin clinic since I seem to cover the INR spectrum.

Why is Coagucheck not available in the US? I have been told it is not a FDA approval issues and that it should be available here for patient use by the end of August. If this is accurate is it worth waiting for or should I go with what is currently available?

Confession time: I am a real whimp when it comes to needles and my blood. The events of the last 2 months have made me a little less so, but I still can't look. Do you think I Will be able to learn to do this?

Any information will be appreciated.

Philip

[Ross]

Personally this is a hard call. If you can wait until August and it really happens, then perhaps hold on, but there is nothing wrong with either of the available units as it stands. The INRatio is as close to the same deal as the new Coaguchek XS. It just depends on how long you feel like waiting. August may or may not be the release date.

[Ross]

Ross, what do you mean exactly when you say the InRatio is "close to the same deal?" I am in the same situation as Philip. I have a prescription for a home tester but don't want to be stuck with a machine for next few years that's not as convenient as something I could have waited a few more months for.

That they are almost identical but from different companies. The new Coaguchek is going to have the controls present in the test strip just as INRatio does now. From my understanding, they'll both have an ISI index of 1 where currently Coaguchek with liquid controls is 2. You can get tons of info on the INRatio right now. Finding all the specifics on the Coagucheck XS isn't available to us yet.

[jeffp]

What about the amount of blood required?
The INRatio needs a drop of about 15 µL while the new Coaguchek needs about 10 µL. This is a drop size of about 3/32" or so; a rather small amount. I usually give it about 1/8" drop and wind up flooding the thing (no harm done, just more overflow).