Continuous Glucose Monitoring and How it is Used for Diabetics

Continuous blood glucose monitoring is for diabetics that are into an intensive control regime and need to monitor their blood sugars very frequently. This is something that research has brought to us in the more recent decades. In this article, I'd like to tell you what this monitoring is all about.

When continuous glucose monitoring first came about out there, they simply took the blood sugar readings and recorded them. These readings than all had to be uploaded to your computer so you could look the data over to see trends. You could see where you were at during the night, and if you had any lows and then rebounds from the low sugars.

Newer continuous glucose monitors however, are different in that they show you your readouts right there on the screen. These new systems also have an alarm inside, that lets you know you are going to low and need to correct it. On the flip side of the coin, there is an alarm with notification that you are now too high. Some, but not all of these systems display graphs that show blocks of time in hours, or minutes. Of course, you can place the meter on your computer and download, seeing your patterns and trends.

These monitors also do not stand in place of other meters where you check certain times of the day. Your regular glucose monitors are important to check how close your continuous monitor is. A continuous monitor still has to be calibrated correctly in order to be accurate.

The continuous glucose monitor types have glucose sensors which are attached to electrodes which go underneath your skin. A special needle is used along with an insertion device that is somewhat like your lancet device. When this sensor is faulty applied as it should be, it produces a current that is electrical, which can actually pick up the blood glucose level in the body. The body fluid measured is called interstitial fluid, picks up on glucose levels.

One thing about these sensors, is that they need to become adjusted to your body before they can read out glucose levels accurately. Doing a regular glucose check after first placing or changing the sensor, will tell you how close your continuous monitor really is.

The advantage of these meter types is that they give you immediate information on your current glucose levels. So by having one, you will know exactly where it is you are headed, high or low.

There are some of the insulin pumps out there that also have continuous monitors attached to them. One of the products is the Mini Med Paradigm REAL Time Insulin Pump and Glucose Monitoring System. If you want more information on this system, go to www.minimed.com/products/insulin pumps.

There is also the Freestyle Navigator System that has three parts to it, which is a transmitter, a sensor, and also a receiver. With this system, you can wear you sensor for five days instead of three. Freestyle Navigator takes a blood sugar reading each minute. It will store readings for up to 60 days.

Sometimes these monitors are not easy to come by as far as insurance or other coverage is concerned. But if your treating doctor deems it absolutely a must, most companies would probably approve one. To some diabetics, these are a lifeline for better control and less hypoglycemic reactions to insulin.