[ad_1]
In today’s time, digital health technology has ignited a fundamental shift in the way people manage their health and access medical care. With the advent of wearable technologies, medical devices are becoming even more ubiquitous as consumers demand convenience and affordable access to healthcare. There are several advantages to these devices, including the fact that they can be used to monitor a patient’s health 24/7, providing real-time feedback to doctors, which can help improve the quality of care for end users.
Talking about chronic conditions, diabetes is one such key area where India is witnessing advances in remote care, thanks to the growing accessibility to devices which are optimal for self-management. Helping drive this movement is Abbott’s continuous glucose monitoring technology, FreeStyle Libre. The glucose monitoring system allows people with diabetes to better manage their condition.
How does continuous glucose monitoring with the FreeStyle Libre system work?
The FreeStyle Libre is a painless, prick-free system that measures glucose levels through a small sensor which is applied to the back of your upper arm. It provides glucose readings every minute with proven accuracy in adult and children 2, day and night. With each scan, the system provides three critical pieces of data:
- Current glucose level
- An eight-hour historical trend
- A directional trend arrow showing where glucose levels are headed
The touch-screen reader also holds up to 90 days of data, which allows people to track their glucose levels over time.
Advantages of using FreeStyle Libre
Data generated by FreeStyle Libre is designed to provide actionable trends or patterns that help one make better decisions about health, such as adjustments to diet and changes to medication including insulin. Studies suggest that after three months of using the FreeStyle Libre system, HbA1c levels were reduced by 0.53% in adults with type 1 diabetes (from 8.20% to 7.67%) and 0.45% in adults with type 2 diabetes (from 8.17% to 7.72%). These are clinically significant reductions of average glucose levels towards the internationally recommended HbA1c goal of 7% for adults with diabetes 1.
Dr. Prashanth Subramanian, Head of Medical Affairs, Emerging Asia & India, for Abbott’s diabetes care business says, “ The use of the FreeStyle Libre system provides people with diabetes, access to their glucose level data, thus helping them make informed decisions as they can now understand their glucose fluctuations. Monitoring glucose levels empowers one to take control of their health. When one knows what is going on with their glucose levels, they can understand how the body reacts to specific food, exercise routines and medication. That is important because then it helps make smart, informed treatment decisions with the doctor”.
Who can use CGM?
FreeStyle Libre’s convenience, accessibility and user-friendly design makes Glucose Monitoring easy for people with diabetes. For people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, continuous glucose monitoring has heralded a new paradigm of monitoring. CGM devices can be used on young children above the age of four years, in women with gestational diabetes (during pregnancy) and in those with Type 2 diabetes, keen on keeping their diabetes under control.
At a time when our healthcare system is stretched and resources are limited, innovative and accessible technology solutions can become a mainstay of effective disease care at home. By enabling early detection, remote care, holistic insights and comprehensive measurement, sensor-based glucose monitors ensure better diabetes management for improved health outcomes helping people make informed health decisions allowing them to live fuller lives.
Disclaimer
The information mentioned in this content is only suggestive/for patient education and shall not be considered as a substitute for doctor’s advice. Please consult your doctor for more information.
1. Evans M, Welsh Z & Seibold A. Reductions in HbA1c with flash glucose monitoring are sustained for up to 24 months: a meta analysis of 75 real-world observational studies. Presented at ATTD 2022
2. Data on file, Abbott Diabetes Care, Inc.
This article is part of sponsored content programme.
[ad_2]