This content originally appeared on diaTribe. Republished with permission.

By Caleigh Findley

Roughly 17 percent of individuals with type 1 diabetes haven’t adopted diabetes technology. A brand new study finds that those that do were greater than twice as prone to meet their A1C goals.

Because the early 2000s, a wave of diabetes technologies have ushered in a brand new era for managing type 1 diabetes. Amongst those are tools like continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and automatic insulin delivery (AID) systems, which help with glycemic control.

These technologies have collectively set the stage for a profound shift in how individuals with type 1 diabetes navigate their each day lives. Where once constant monitoring, precise insulin dosing, and blood sugar fluctuations weighed heavily on individuals with the condition, now CGMs and AID systems have helped ease the burden.

“I believe we live in the very best time of diabetes care,” said Dr. Viral Shah, an endocrinologist on the Barbara Davis Center in Denver.

In a recent study, Shah reported an uptick within the adoption of diabetes technology previously decade from 27 percent to 83 percent. Those that used technology achieved a lower average A1C than non-users every year – a niche that grew significantly over time.

The next percentage of individuals with type 1 diabetes also reached a goal A1C of lower than 7% with the assistance of technology. In 2021 for instance, 47 percent of technology users met this goal, in comparison with only 15 percent of non-users. Overall, patients utilizing diabetes technology were almost 3 times more prone to meet their A1C goals than non-users.

“This study suggests that diabetes technology adoption is increasing amongst individuals with type 1 diabetes and that technology helps to realize higher outcomes,” said Shah.

Ease of use at the middle of technology

Treating type 1 diabetes has been a “clear case of knowing what to do but not having the precise tools to do it,” said Dr. Steven Russell, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and chief medical officer of Beta Bionics.

Innovation in diabetes technology has sought to bring these tools to patients. Alongside CGMs, the addition of AID systems significantly reduced challenges across the each day management of type 1 diabetes, said Russell.

“Now we have now rather more accurate and reliable CGM sensors which are indeed more usable because they don’t necessitate fingerstick and calibration,” said Dr. Marc Breton, professor on the Center for Diabetes Technology on the University of Virginia.

“A CGM goes to provide you 288 glucose measurements a day. It’s loads to think that you just’re liable for managing that information,” said Breton. “And that’s where I believe that the AID systems really change the worth proposition around CGM because then the user doesn’t should try to address all those 288 glucose measurements.”

Diabetes tech more accessible than ever

Patients and physicians have had to realize a certain level of comfort in implementing these technologies for on a regular basis care. Breton said that physicians’ opinions on diabetes technology have modified as these therapies proceed to innovate, likely contributing to increased adoption by patients.

Yet, many devices “still require quite a lot of input from the user and healthcare provider to achieve good results,” said Russell. “The following frontier is developing systems which are really for anybody.”

Accessibility stays a top issue for patients with type 1 diabetes. Nevertheless, insurance coverage for CGMs and AID systems has expanded, making these devices more accessible.

“Yes, the technology has advanced. But additionally getting your hands on it’s getting just a little bit easier as that technology advances,” said Breton.

This not only empowers individuals with type 1 diabetes to administer their condition higher but additionally signifies a step forward in breaking down barriers to a better quality of life for the sort 1 diabetes community.

“I believe it’s clear that using CGM ought to be the usual of take care of individuals with type 1 diabetes,” said Russell. “And I might argue that actually AID ought to be the usual of take care of individuals with diabetes.”

Learn more about type 1 diabetes and advancements in technology here: