Continuous glucose monitoring is just not only for individuals with type 1 diabetes anymore! In reality, there are several explanation why a newly diagnosed person with type 2 should think about using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM).

In response to the American Diabetes Association 2023 Standards of Care, real-time CGM must be offered to youth and adults with type 1 and kind 2 diabetes on intensive-insulin therapy or insulin-pump therapy who’re in a position to safely use the device.

What’s a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM)?

Continuous Glucose Monitors—also generally known as CGMs—are wearable technology.

CGMs make it easier to trace your blood-sugar fluctuations and trends. They do that by repeatedly measuring interstitial-fluid glucose levels.

Then, they report the collected data every 1-Quarter-hour.

Data collected by these systems are sent to a transmitter. Then, they’re displayed in various devices.

Currently, 4 corporations manufacture personal CGM devices in america:

By allowing for the flexibility to trace dynamic blood-sugar fluctuations and trends over time, CGMs have revolutionized type-1-diabetes management.

• CGMs allow for optimization of medical therapy and the prevention of dangerous events—like hypoglycemia.
• CGMs continually monitor blood-sugar levels and provides real-time updates through a tool that’s attached to your body.
• CGMs sound alerts in case your blood sugar is simply too low or high.
• CGMs also provide an excellent method to monitor “time in range,” which is the period of time you spend within the goal blood-sugar range—between 70 and 180 mg/dL for most individuals.

What Are the Parts of a Continuous Glucose Monitor?

CGM systems are made up of three components:

• The sensor (a small wire catheter that’s inserted under the skin in your arm or abdomen).
• A transmitter that attaches to the sensor, and
• A handheld receiver and/or smartphone that displays your blood-sugar data in real time.

The Sensor

• You place the sensor slightly below your skin—often in your belly or arm.
• Adhesive tape holds the sensor in place.
• The sensor measures blood-sugar levels within the interstitial fluid under your skin
  You’ll often need to alter the sensor commonly based on the device—every 7 to 14 days.

The Transmitter

• All CGM systems use a transmitter to wirelessly send the blood-sugar data from the sensor to a tool where you may view it.
• For some CGM systems, the transmitter is a component of the disposable sensor.

The Handheld Receiver and/or Smartphone

• Depending on the CGM system, blood-sugar data from the sensor is shipped to either a handheld device called a receiver (much like a cellular phone), an app in your smartphone or an insulin pump.
• You may download CGM data (real-time blood-sugar levels, trends and history) to a pc anytime. Some CGM systems will repeatedly send data.

Why is a Continuous Glucose Monitor Great for a Type 2’s Diabetes Self Management?

There are several reasons for an individual with type 2 to think about a CGM.

Some are saying that CGMs will in the future grow to be the usual of care for type 2 diabetes—especially because the technology becomes easier to make use of and price comes down.

Studies have shown the advantages of CGM on type-2 control.

In a single study, researchers observed that individuals with type 2 diabetes who use insulin might even see more advantages from the device than from a conventional blood-glucose monitor, for which they periodically prick their skin to check their blood sugar.

In one other study,  it was found that individuals with type 2 diabetes who used insulin achieved a 0.24-point larger reduction in A1C with CGM than with traditional blood glucose monitors. CGM was also linked to a lower risk of hypoglycemia on this study.

CGMs are great for diabetes self management because they allow you to monitor the results of the next in your blood-sugar levels:

• Different foods
• Times of day
• Activity levels, and
• Illness.

While self monitoring of blood sugar (i.e. finger-stick testing) provides a “snap-shot” of your of blood-sugar concentration—but is restricted by the variety of finger-sticks you’re willing to perform every day—CGMs can report as much as 288 blood-sugar readings per day—yes, you accurately read that.

Other ways in which CGMs provide significant—potentially life-changing—advantages for diabetes management are that they:

• Help avoid or delay serious, short- and long-term diabetes complications.
• Potentially lower your expenses through improved diabetes management and fewer events, like hypoglycemia resulting in emergencies.
• Offer individuals with diabetes and their health care team more details about blood-sugar levels than traditional blood-glucose meters—giving the chance to research the info more precisely than ever before.
• Provide biofeedback in real time, which allows individuals with diabetes to switch their dietary pattern or insulin dose based on trends, as directed by their health care provider. This may occasionally reduce your risk of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar).

Will I Ever Have to Do a Finger-stick Test If I Use a Continuous Glucose Monitor?

For some CGM models, you might must do a finger-stick test with an ordinary blood-glucose monitor to calibrate the system and be sure that the CGM readings are correct.

The Cleveland Clinic states that a finger-stick check may provide you with peace of mind in case your CGM device shows rising or falling numbers—despite you feeling okay.

It might also provide answers in case you don’t feel well—however the CGM says your blood-sugar levels are in goal.

How Much Does a Continuous Glucose Monitor Cost?

CGM devices could be expensive.

Increasingly insurance providers cover them today, which can make the fee cheaper.

Your medical health insurance policy may only cover certain CGM devices.

Bear in mind that you just’ll commonly need to switch sensors and possibly transmitters.

Check together with your insurance provider to see what devices and supplies your plan covers.

Many providers and CGM corporations have resources to assist make CGM cheaper for individuals who need it.

This content was made possible by Abbott, a Founding Partner of Beyond Type 2.

Beyond Type 2 maintains editorial control over its content.