If you are diabetic, or if someone close to you is, then you would know how debilitating this disease is. Every year, more and more Americans suffer from diabetes with many of them not even knowing they have it. Diabetes is fast becoming one of the most persistent diseases with the highest mortality rate. Diabetes, known in the medical scientific community as diabetes mellitus, is the condition where the human body is incapable of producing or making use of insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas which is responsible for absorbing glucose and converting it into energy for the body. Because diabetes inhibits the production of insulin, glucose builds up and accumulates in the bloodstream. This accumulation, called hyperglycemia, is potentially dangerous as it can lead to serious health problems such as cardiovascular disease, amputation, and kidney failure. For this reason, monitoring blood sugar and glucose levels is crucial for a patient suffering from diabetes. Due to the importance of regularly monitoring blood sugar and glucose levels, many industry-leading health care companies have developed blood glucose monitoring systems so that patients suffering from diabetes can check their glucose and blood sugar levels at home. One such company is Bayer Ascensia. Their line of diabetes management products includes the Ascensia Contour blood glucose monitoring system that includes Ascensia Contour test strips. With Ascensia Contour, 50 diabetic test strips in a single box are available to help you or your loved one check glucose and blood sugar levels on a regular basis. The system allows for self-monitoring, and is easy to use even to first time users. Patients can check glucose levels themselves, without having to go to a clinic. The Ascensia Contour strips feature a unique flip-top bottle design that opens and closes with relative ease. That means monitoring blood sugar and glucose levels is easy for users of all ages. The Ascensia Contour test strips are kept fresh up to 6 months after opening because of a unique bottle design that incorporates a built-in desiccant. A window on the blood glucose test strips makes it easy to see how much blood has dripped into the strip.