The information contained on this website is for information purposes only. The care regimens mentioned on this website may not be suitable for you. The material contained on this website is provided for general information purposes only and any concerns which visitors to the site have about their diabetes and its treatment, should be discussed with their doctor/health care professional.
Diabetes Care
The key to controlling all types of diabetes is careful regulation of glucose levels in the body. Â At the core of this regimen particularly for Type 1 diabetics is the use of an in-vitro diagnostic device that samples and records blood glucose levels. Â These diagnostic devices come in a variety of form factors from the more traditional and widely used glucose test strip that measures the level of glucose in the blood serum to wireless invasive monitor devices that can be linked to an insulin pump. Â Until now there are a number of semi-automated solutions for personalised diabetes management however there is no solution available on the market to continuously monitor diabetes in a wireless and non-invasive manner.
Continuous Glucose Monitoring
Until recently the benefits of continuous glucose monitoring had not been clear for a wide population of patients. In May 2011 an independent study carried out between four medical institutions in the Netherlands surveyed 150 patients outside of clinical trials who have used continuous glucose monitoring solutions for more than three months continuously. Â The key conclusions from the study were that real time continuous glucose monitoring improves glycemic control by reducing: HbA1c; incidence of severe hypoglycaemia; hospital admissions for ketoacidosis and hospital admissions for hypoglycaemia. The over riding conclusion of this study is that “real time continuous glucose monitoring improves quality of life in patients with type 1 diabetes”. Beside the benefits of tighter glucose control for diabetics particularly those in at risk categories non-invasive glucose monitors would free parents from the need to prick small children and adolescents in order to monitor their glucose levels. Finger pricking of young children is particularly traumatic for both children and parents especially as frequent monitoring of glucose levels is essential to make the appropriate adjustments to both insulin and diet.