Start-up develops potassium measuring device for home use: Measure potassium levels safely at home

elyte diagnostics is an Austrian deep tech start-up with a mission: the team is developing a home potassium measuring device to facilitate and significantly improve care for patients with life-threatening fluctuations in potassium levels. Our mission is to enable fast, simple and reliable home potassium monitoring – improving patients’ quality of life and safety in their everyday lives. elyte diagnostics is working hard to develop this solution.

Why potassium levels are so important

Millions of patients worldwide suffer from imbalances in their blood potassium levels. Potassium is a key component in our electrolyte balance, and potassium levels are regulated very tightly by a healthy body.

However, vital therapies for chronic heart and kidney diseases can disrupt the potassium balance and lead to life-threatening situations, often unnoticed and without any warning signs. Current treatment options are very tedious and unsatisfactory for those affected. Potassium is currently only measured at long and irregular intervals, which requires venous blood sampling by medical professionals. The necessary laboratory results are often only available to the treating physicians after several hours or even on the next day. This makes it almost impossible to provide optimal treatment through personalised medication adjustment.

Our solution: Simple and safe measurement at home

For this reason, elyte diagnostics is focusing on developing the world’s first home potassium monitoring system. This device will enable patients to monitor their potassium levels conveniently and reliably at home. In doing so, we are laying the foundation for preventive and self-determined patient care.

We firmly believe that patients are able to measure their potassium levels self-reliantly, and therefore this process should be as simple as possible. That is why we use a user calibration free technology.

The measurements can be taken using a drop of capillary blood from the fingertip – a procedure that has been tried and tested millions of times by diabetics. The potassium values measured are displayed graphically, making them easy for users to interpret.

The first usability study is currently underway – further information is available here.