MediFusion

Home Glucose and Triglyceride Monitor

Design By: Wennie Chi, Derek Eller, and Abby Wilms
Document Tag: DBMineContest11
Product Background:
Currently, the majority of diabetics control their diabetes through monitoring their blood glucose
levels. By understanding how various foods affect their blood sugar, diabetics are able to make
informed dietary choices in order to lower their risk of complications.

People living with diabetes often experience other chronic health issues. Diabetics are two to four
times as likely as non-diabetics to suffer from heart disease or stroke. Cardiovascular issues are the
leading cause of death among diabetics, responsible for 65% of deaths (“National Diabetes Education
Program: The Link Between Diabetes and Cardiovascular Health”). One method for gauging one’s
cardiovascular health at home is through monitoring triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are a type of lipid
that store energy in fat cells, and similar to glucose levels, fluctuate daily in accordance with food
consumption. High triglyceride levels indicate an increased risk for heart attack and stroke, both
immediately and long term.

Through triglyceride monitoring, a person has the ability to witness the impact their diet has on
their cardiovascular health. If a person consumes a high fat meal and then tests their blood directly
afterwards, they may have high triglyceride levels, but wouldn’t necessarily see a large increase in blood
glucose. Being able to make this direct association between certain food choices and increased risk of
cardiovascular issues will allow a person to make positive dietary changes.

Currently, there are few devices that can monitor both glucose and triglyceride levels however
none of these products have the capability to test both simultaneously. Because most diabetics already
monitor glucose levels, a device which can test glucose and triglyceride levels at the same time could
provide valuable information, with very little additional effort to the user.

Medical Application of the Product:

The device is going to be similar to a glucose monitor, both in function and in user operation. To
use the MediFusion, a user will draw blood with a lancet, and deposit the whole blood into two wells
located on the surface of the device test strip. A sliding door is then closed, covering the strip. The two
blood tests will be performed simultaneously, with results presented in less than two minutes. The
device will have the option to display and plot past results, in order to allow users to track their
progress, and set goals.

Technical Application of the Product:

The blood glucose analysis will work the same way as devices currently on the market. Blood will
be drawn into a capillary, where it will react with an oxidizing agent. An electrical current will be passed
through the blood, and the resistance will be measured. The measured resistance will correlate to a
specific blood glucose concentration.

Blood triglyceride levels will be analyzed concurrently, using a separate sample. The whole
blood will be filtered through several membranes, located inside the well. As the sample passes through
the membranes, reagents mix with the blood and a dye is formed in proportion to the triglyceride levels.
Spectrophotometry is used to determine the amount of dye present, which is linearly related to the
blood triglyceride concentration.

Device Look and Feel:

The MediFusion will be a handheld device, approximately 4” tall, 2.5” wide, and .75” deep. It will
have a 2” display screen, and four rubberized buttons. The test strip will have two wells on the surface: a
glucose testing well located toward the distal end, and a triglyceride well located toward the proximal
end. The test strip will be inserted in a port at the base of the device, and a door will slide over it in
order to cover it. The test strip will be inserted into a test strip port at the proximal end of the device,
and the capillaries will align with a blood port, through which the user will deposit their blood. A door
will slide down to cover the port.
 Graphics: 1

2
5

1 Device Front and Side Views
1. Test Strip Port
2. Blood Opening
3. Test Strip Sliding Door
4. Display Screen
5. Control Buttons
Test Strip Front and Side Views
1. Electrical Contacts
2. Glucose Testing Capillary
3. Triglyceride Testing Capillary