The newest trend to hit the wearables market is metabolic monitoring, which comes in the form of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices. CGM tracks how the food consumed by the user affects their blood glucose and helps them pick the right food for their metabolism.
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These devices can also alert users if they might be at increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and other metabolic diseases, reports Katie Adams in BeckersHospitalReview.
Diabetes is evolving at an increasingly rapid pace. The evolution and progress of home glucose monitoring continued and was revolutionized even more, with the introduction of CGM. Now, companies like Abbott, Medtronic, and Dexcom are leading the race in CGM development.
Most metabolic monitoring involves measuring blood glucose, which is a marker for the risk of decreased brain glucose (due to hypoglycemia) and for increased end-organ glycosylation (due to hyperglycemia) that occurs in diabetes.
In 1999, the FDA approved the first CGM in the market, and the first real-time CGM was Glucowatch Biographer, which was worn as a wristwatch. This device used reverse iontophoresis measuring glucose levels.
New continuous blood glucose monitors are currently being developed that will eventually not only measure blood glucose levels but will be connected to insulin delivery systems to create an artificial pancreas.
Medtronic has launched InPen, an FDA-cleared smart insulin pen for people on multiple daily injections (MDI). The smart insulin pen will link with the Medtech giant’s Guardian Connect continuous glucose monitoring system, to help track insulin doses alongside real-time blood sugar readings through a single smartphone app provided by Medtronic.
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Although currently available CGMs are mostly invasive, various CGM makers are developing non-invasive continuous glucose monitoring. Nemaura, a UK-based medical technology company received CE approval for its non-invasive, affordable, and flexible Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) SugarBEAT for use by diabetics and pre-diabetics. This approval allows Nemaura to sell SugarBeat throughout the European Union. The key features of this CGM are:
- Non-invasive, needle-free, disposable adhesive skin-patch connected to a rechargeable transmitter
- Lowest priced CGM in the industry
- Enables users to spend more time in range (TIR) by providing an ambulatory glucose profile (AGP) chart
Undoubtedly, it’s an exciting time in the diabetes technology world. By watching developments in the CGM sector, we can safely say that continuous glucose monitoring will shape the future for diabetics.
