March 7, 2024
Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) devices for people with diabetes can help lower risks for heart attack, stroke, kidney disease and other complications, said Dr. Robert Osburne, an endocrinologist with University Medical Center.
More than 11% of the U.S. population has diabetes, a condition that affects how the body turns food into energy. The body breaks down most of the food that is eaten into sugar and releases it into the bloodstream. When blood sugar (also known as blood glucose) goes up, it signals the pancreas to release insulin.
“Checking for diabetes happens when we look at your blood glucose levels and if those levels are high, that’s how we determine if a patient has diabetes,” Osburne said during a February Mini Medical School presentation. “Typically, people that do have diabetes, those levels tend to be higher.”
Mini Medical School is a series of lectures provided each semester by University Medical Center health care providers to UA’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) members.
There are two types of diabetes. Type 1 occurs when the pancreas produces little or no insulin, and Type 2 affects the way the body processes blood sugar, or glucose, and is often lifestyle related.
In monitoring glucose levels, Osburne said that CGM devices, which help keep track of those levels over time, are inserted with a tiny sensor under the skin around the abdomen or arm. The sensors are replaced every few weeks depending on the type of sensor.
“The sensor detects how much sugar is in the bloodstream and will connect to an app on your (smart) phone that shares information between the device and the insulin pump and can send alerts if your glucose level gets too low,” said Osburne. “Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics can use these devices, but they are typically recommended for Type 1 diabetics because those individuals constantly have to take insulin.”
CGM devices also track a person’s diet, their exercise levels and the medications they are taking. Popular CGM devices include Dexcom and Freestyle Libre, which can be downloaded through the App Store and Google Play.
Osburne encourages people to talk with their primary care provider about CGM devices, and to stay active and have a healthy diet to help lower the risks for complications from diabetes.
