A1CNOW Self-Check HbA1c At-Home Test Kit

Take full control of your long-term diabetes management with the PTS Diagnostics A1CNow® Self-Check HbA1c At-Home Test Kit. Designed to deliver laboratory-accurate results from the comfort of your home, this compact and portable monitoring system measures your glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) level in just 5 minutes.

What is HbA1c and Why is It Important?

While daily capillary blood glucose meters provide a real-time snapshot of your sugar levels at a single moment, an HbA1c test measures the percentage of glucose attached to your red blood cells. Because red blood cells live for approximately 2 to 3 months, an HbA1c test provides an accurate visual of your average blood sugar control over the past 2 to 3 months.

Regularly tracking your HbA1c allows you and your healthcare professional to evaluate how effectively your diet, lifestyle modifications, or prescribed medications are managing your diabetes. Keeping your HbA1c within your target range is key to reducing the long-term risks of microvascular and macrovascular complications associated with diabetes, including nerve damage, retinopathy, and cardiovascular disease.

Key Features & Benefits:

• Fast Results: Provides clear, easy-to-read numeric HbA1c results in just 5 minutes.

• High Accuracy: Lab-accurate performance (National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program [NGSP] certified) using only a tiny fingerstick blood sample.

• Small Sample Requirement: Requires just a single drop of blood ($5\text{ }\mu\text{L}$) obtained via a standard lancet.

• Convenient 2-Test Pack: Allows you to perform an initial test and monitor your progress 3 months later to evaluate lifestyle or medication adjustments.

• No Maintenance Needed: The analyzer is disposable and pre-calibrated, requiring no manual coding, cleaning, or routine maintenance.

• Compact & Portable: Portable size makes it straightforward to use at home or while travelling.

Why Buy from an NHS Registered UK Pharmacy?

When ordering medical devices and home health diagnostics online, quality assurance and authenticity are paramount. As an NHS registered online pharmacy in the UK, all our diagnostic kits and healthcare products are sourced directly from verified manufacturers and compliant distributors. Every item strictly adheres to UK regulatory standards, ensuring you receive safe, reliable, and authentic testing equipment

Directions

1. Prepare Your Testing Area: Wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap, then dry completely. Warm hands help facilitate capillary blood flow.

2. Collect the Blood Sample: Use the included safety lancet to prick the side of your fingertip. Collect a small droplet of capillary blood ($5text{ }mutext{L}$) using the provided blood collector tube until it fills completely.

3. Mix the Sample: Insert the filled blood collector directly into the sampler body containing the dilution buffer solution. Mix thoroughly as outlined in the instruction leaflet.

4. Insert into Monitor: Insert the test cartridge into the A1CNow® monitor, then apply the diluted sample mixture directly into the sample port of the test cartridge.

5. Read Your Results: Wait 5 minutes. The digital screen will display your estimated HbA1c percentage (%). Record your result to discuss with your GP or Diabetes Specialist Nurse. Discard used components safely in domestic waste unless instructed otherwise by local authorities.

Side Effects

Because the A1CNow® Self-Check kit is an in vitro (external) diagnostic medical device, it produces no systemic side effects. Minor local effects associated with obtaining a capillary blood sample include:

• Mild Fingertip Soreness: Brief discomfort or stinging at the lancet puncture site.

• Minor Localised Bruising: Occasional minor bruising around the puncture area, particularly if firm pressure was applied.

• Localized Redness: Transient redness surrounding the fingerstick site.

If you experience ongoing pain, swelling, inflammation, or signs of infection at the lancet site, clean the area and consult a healthcare professional.

Important Warnings & Precautions

• Diagnostic Limitations: This kit is designed for monitoring existing diabetes control and tracking therapeutic changes. Do NOT use this test for the initial diagnosis of diabetes or screening for gestational diabetes.

• Do Not Alter Medication: Never alter, stop, or adjust your prescribed diabetes medication or insulin doses based solely on an at-home HbA1c reading. Always consult your GP or prescribing clinician prior to making changes to your treatment plan.

• Factors Affecting HbA1c Accuracy: Certain medical conditions that alter red blood cell turnover can cause inaccurate HbA1c readings. These include:

  • Haemoglobinopathies or abnormal haemoglobin variants (e.g., Sickle Cell trait/disease, Thalassaemia).

  • Severe anaemia or recent significant blood loss / blood transfusions.

  • Chronic kidney disease or severe renal impairment.

• In Vitro Use Only: Designed exclusively for external diagnostic testing using fresh capillary blood. Do not ingest any fluid components.

• Single-Use Components: Test cartridges, blood collectors, and lancets are single-use only. Do not reuse testing materials.

• Keep Out of Reach: Keep all kit components out of the sight and reach of children and animals.

Ingredients

The PTS Diagnostics A1CNow® Self-Check Pack contains:

• 1 x A1CNow® Digital Analyzer/Monitor (Pre-calibrated, containing a non-replaceable internal battery)

• 1 x Single-Use A1CNow® Test Cartridge

• 1 x Sample Dilution Shaker / Sampler Body (containing an aqueous buffer solution with detergent and preservative)

• 1 x Capillary Blood Collector ($5text{ }mutext{L}$)

• 1 x Single-Use Safety Lancet

• 1 x Patient Instructions for Use Leaflet

Storage Instructions

• Temperature: Store the unopened kit at controlled room temperature between 18°C and 25°C (64°F to 77°F).

• Protect from Moisture & Sunlight: Keep in a dry place away from direct sunlight, central heating radiators, and excessive humidity.

• Do Not Freeze: Do not allow the test cartridge or liquid reagent solutions to freeze.

• Use Immediately Upon Opening: Once the foil pouch containing the test cartridge is opened, perform the test immediately.

• Expiry Date: Do not use kit components past the expiration date clearly printed on the outer packaging and foil pouch.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between daily finger-prick glucose testing and an HbA1c test?

A daily blood glucose meter measures the concentration of sugar in your blood at that exact instant, which changes continuously throughout the day based on food, stress, exercise, and medication. An HbA1c test measures the percentage of glycated haemoglobin, offering an overall picture of your average blood sugar control over the past 2 to 3 months.

Do I need to fast before taking the A1CNow HbA1c test?

No. Because HbA1c measures your average blood sugar over several weeks, short-term changes caused by eating or drinking do not alter the reading. You can take the test at any time of day without fasting.

Does this replacing my routine NHS laboratory HbA1c tests?

No. While the A1CNow® kit delivers laboratory-accurate results for convenient home monitoring, it is intended to complement—not replace—your formal NHS diabetic reviews, clinical check-ups, and routine blood tests conducted by your doctor or clinic.

How often should I test my HbA1c level?

Because red blood cells turnover every 8 to 12 weeks, testing your HbA1c more frequently than every 2 to 3 months is generally unnecessary. This single-test kit is ideal for checking your level midway between annual or biannual GP appointments.

How is my order dispatched from your pharmacy?

As an NHS registered online pharmacy based in the UK, all orders are discreetly packed and dispatched via tracked shipping services to ensure your health tests arrive quickly and securely at your home.