Lifestream Technologies Inc., the Post Falls-based maker of cholesterol monitors, says its product shipments in its most-recent quarter shot up 108 percent over the year-earlier period.


The small health-care device maker declined to disclose specific shipment or revenue numbers, pending release soon of its financials for its first fiscal 2005 quarter, which ended Sept. 30. It earlier had announced big increases in product shipments for both July and August, of 169 percent and 124 percent, respectively.


For August, the company reported that it made shipments worth $430,000, up from $192,000 in August 2003.


We see the increase in shipment numbers as a move by our customers to build inventory and to cover retail sales, said Christopher Maus, Lifetreams president and CEO, in a statement. It appears our increased distribution, acceptance by the television shopping networks viewers, and other marketing efforts are having an impact on our retailers.


Lifestream, which employs about 18 people at its Post Falls headquarters, makes a line of cholesterol monitors sold both to consumers and health-care professionals.


The devices allow users to check their total cholesterol level in about three minutes, using disposable consumables, and to track those findings on a smart card. The monitors sell for around $100 without a smart card, and for $130 with a smart card and a cable used to transfer data to a personal computer.


In addition to retail stores, the companys monitors are being sold on the HSN home-shopping television network. Lifestream recently announced that its main consumer model was the best-selling health living aid sold on the network during a 24-hour period.


Last summer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave Lifestream clearance to sell with its cholesterol monitors a health-risk assessment technology that lets consumers calculate their personal risk of heart attack, obesity, and the like. After taking a cholesterol test with the device, they enter additional information into it, such as their age, gender, height and weight, diabetic status, smoker/nonsmoker, blood pressure, and HDL breakout from a recent lipid profile.


The assessment the device provides shows the users risk of heart attack if he or she makes no changes to alter behavior or lifestyle, as well as different outcome models by altering inputs, such as smoking.


Also last summer, pharmacy-chain giant Walgreen Co. agreed to stock Lifestreams cholesterol monitor at all of the chains more than 4,000 pharmacies nationwide.


The 10-year-old company posted a loss of about $3.8 million for its fourth fiscal quarter ended June 30, and has yet to make a profit. Lifestreams common stock currently is selling for about 2 cents a share, compared with 13 cents a share late last year.