Onsite Health Diagnostics and Cholestech Corporation Bring Preventive Health Screenings Directly to Employers

Growing Number of Companies Are Investing in Preventive Care 


HAYWARD, Calif., May 30  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cholestech Corporation (NASDAQ:CTEC), a leading provider of alternate site health management solutions for chronic disease, announced today that it has teamed up with Onsite Health Diagnostics, one of the largest providers of comprehensive, on-site, corporate health screenings.  The agreement, valued at an estimated $3 million dollars over the next three years, establishes Cholestech LDX(R) testing system as the preferred device for Onsite screeners to monitor for risk factors associated with stroke, heart disease, diabetes and inflammatory disorders.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060504/NYTH042)

A growing number of companies now actively invest in the well-being of their employees, in part because they understand that the early detection of medical problems can significantly reduce the amount of time and cost associated with employee illness.  Onsite Health Diagnostics brings state-of-the-art sonograms, screening equipment and technicians directly to the workplaces, as part of a health and wellness program that is easy, convenient, and provided at a fraction of the cost charged by hospitals and physicians -- with minimal interruption in the workday.  Onsite offers similar services to government agencies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and a variety of other organizations nationwide.

Onsite screeners will use the LDX system to provide employees with laboratory-accurate results for a complete lipid panel, blood glucose and high sensitivity C-reactive protein.  A complete lipid panel measures three different kinds of lipids in the blood: LDL, HDL and triglycerides, all of which are related to cholesterol, a type of fat.  LDL, or low-density lipoprotein, is known as the "bad" cholesterol. Too much LDL cholesterol can clog the arteries, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke. HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, is known as the "good" cholesterol because it carries cholesterol away from the arteries. Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in the body. They circulate in the blood but are stored in body fat and used when the body needs extra energy.  A complete lipid panel also provides total cholesterol, the sum of all of the types of cholesterol in the blood. A blood glucose test measures the amount of glucose, a type of sugar, in the blood.  If blood glucose levels are too high or too low, it may indicate diabetes.  C-reactive protein (CRP levels) is a marker for inflammation.

The superior accuracy and performance of the LDX led to Onsite Health Diagnostics' decision to replace the screening equipment it had been using in the past.  With accuracy comparable to a reference lab, results using the Cholestech LDX are achieved in five minutes or less.  The health professional collects a blood sample using a simple fingerstick, inserts a cassette into the portable LDX system, and receives results within minutes. Patient counseling can begin immediately, which leads to improved patient adherence. The LDX is CLIA-waived and is certified to the Cholesterol Reference Method Laboratory Network (CRMLN) standard established by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and consistent with National Cholesterol Education Program analytical goals.

"Health and wellness screenings are critical to the early detection of serious problems.  They provide our customers with an awareness of their risk factors well before any symptoms appear," said Steven Staneff, President of Onsite.  "We chose the Cholestech LDX system because it is certified by the Cholesterol Reference Method Laboratory Network (CRMLN) for accuracy and reproducibility and because it offers the convenience of a combined Glucose/Lipid test."

"Onsite provides convenient and affordable screening services for employers and in communities across the country that help save lives and reduce healthcare costs," said Warren E. Pinckert II, president and CEO of Cholestech.  "Cholestech is proud to expand this screening outreach with a testing system that is simple, rapid and accurate."

About Cholestech

Cholestech is committed to enabling people to lead longer, healthier and more active lives. Cholestech provides easy to use, accessible diagnostic tools and information to health care practitioners in over 35 countries around the world. Cholestech offers efficient and economic diagnostic testing for cholesterol and related lipids, blood glucose and glycemic control, and liver enzymes at the point of care. Health care providers can use the CLIA-waived Cholestech LDX(R) and GDX(TM)* Systems and the hs-CRP test, which is cleared by the FDA for use in moderate complexity labs, to initiate and monitor the progress of patient therapy. By providing effective disease management solutions, Cholestech's goal is to be a leading provider of diagnostic tools and information for immediate risk assessment and therapeutic monitoring of heart disease, inflammatory disorders and diabetes. *The GDX system is 510(k) cleared for prescription home use and, accordingly, is CLIA waived.

Cholestech LDX is a registered trademark and Cholestech GDX is a trademark of Cholestech Corporation. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. For more information about Cholestech and its products visit us on the web at http://www.cholestech.com/.

  CTEC-G

  About Onsite Health Diagnostics


Onsite partners with corporations, government agencies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and a variety other organizations nationwide to provide convenient screening services in communities across the country at affordable costs.  For more information about Onsite Health Diagnostics visit http://www.onsitehd.com/

  Contact:
  Angie Cecil
  516-536-6811
  

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DATASOURCE: Cholestech Corporation



CONTACT:  Angie Cecil, [phone], , for

Cholestech Corporation



Web site:  http://www.cholestech.com/

http://www.onsitehd.com/ 

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