Lifestream Technologies of Post Falls, ID fights cholesterol – Monitor gives readout in only three minutes

Whether from burgers and fries or prime rib slathered with sour cream and bacon bits, fat-food loving Americans pay the price with high cholesterol, and increased health problems are the result for many.

By RICK THOMAS
Staff writer

It may be a first heart attack or just a growing awareness that they can’t see their feet or tie their shoes, but many eventually wake up to the reality that they need to take better care of themselves.

A Post Falls manufacturer hopes to help them return to healthy ways — and show a tidy profit from it.

"Fifty percent of American deaths are due to coronary problems," said Christopher Maus, chairman and CEO of Lifestream Technologies http://www.lifestreamtech.com/ .

The company developed, tested and for the past two years has made and sold the Lifestream cholesterol monitor.

Lifestream is now in the process of beginning a marketing campaign to promote the Lifestream Plus unit, and expects 829 million "media impressions" from print and electronic advertising.

Selling for $129.95, the monitor gives a digital readout on total cholesterol — good and bad — in only three minutes.

It’s only necessary to test about once a month, or at most every two weeks, as cholesterol levels change slowly as the result of diet, exercise or medication. What Maus expects is that patients who test regularly are more likely to be consistent with their regimen if they see results.

"It gives reassurance that what you’re doing is working," he said.

That sounds like a good idea to Dr. Dennis Cooke, a cardiologist at the Heart Clinic in Coeur d’Alene.

"Anything we can do to involve the patient in their own care is helpful," said Cooke. "Steady progress is important."

He agrees that cholesterol is a major health problem, leading to strokes, heart attacks and vascular problems such as plugged arteries.

"There’s a lot to be said for the psychological value," said Cooke. "The medications are expensive — about $4 per pill, so some people don’t take them trying to cut costs."

Maus said a study by pharmacists sponsored by a major producer of a cholesterol-reducing drug show compliance improves from 30 percent to as high as 90 percent when patients know they’re improving.

Maus takes cholesterol-lowering medicine himself, and demonstrated the device. A spring-loaded finger-poker is used to release a drop of blood on a test strip on the machine.

After three minutes, a digital readout of 204 comes up, along with the warning, "Borderline Hi."

Maus had just returned from a 10-day vacation and had not taken his medication with him.

"I’m usually around 160," he said. "There’s more technology in this little box then in anything else its size."

Last year six million blood pressure cuffs were sold to the public, and Maus thinks there’s a similar market for Lifestream.

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510 Clearwater Loop, Suite 101

Post Falls, ID 83854

Phone: (208) 457-9409

Fax: (208) 457-9509

Toll Free 877-457-9409

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In addition to the unit, which includes a memory card a physician can download to his computer, a six-pack of test strips sells for $19.95. That reoccurring sale combined with the unit promises profits for many years, since the public is now more cholesterol conscious, Maus said.

"If I say cholesterol, everybody knows what what I mean," he said.

http://www.cdapress.com/articles/2003/10/08/business/bus01.txt