Glucose Monitoring

Merck's Center for Observational and Real-World Evidence has spent several years gathering evidence on clinical inertia and is now working on solutions to overcome it at the point of care.

The consensus report was presented at the 79th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association in San Francisco, California.

Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) who had been using insulin an average of 8 years and had mean glycated hemoglobin (A1C) levels of 8.9% were able to bring their levels down 0.9% after 3 months, according to chart review data from 3 European countries.

Aetion announced the company partnered with Horizon Healthcare Services to identify high-risk patients and optimal treatment pathways as a means to achieve better health outcomes and cut healthcare costs.

The authors, from the CDC, say that while the decline in diabetes incidence occurred alongside public health efforts, it's too soon to assume a causal relationship.

Lack of awareness of hypoglycemia symptoms can be dangerous, because the person with diabetes can experience a dangerous drop in blood sugar; chronic low blood glucose can result in complications.

Medtronic says real-world data show its MiniMed 670G glucose management system increased time in range for people with diabetes.

A well-known brand of blood glucose meters, lancets, and test strips has tapped Sanvita Medical to develop sensors that integrate with its OneTouch Reveal diabetes management app.

Some people living with type 1 diabetes are unhappy with commercial technology currently avaiable, while others see their choices limited by payer coverage decisions.

Dual inhibitors target both the SGLT1 and SGLT2 proteins in the digestive and renal systems to prevent reuptake of excess glucose.

Findings from a new study have shown that sales of sweetened drinks fell by 38% after Philadelphia implemented a tax on sugary beverages.

Bryan Chiang's concept lets a user take a photo of the eye using a special adapter on the smartphone; the image is then analyzed to predict blood glucose levels.

Older patients who are improperly diagnosed may not gain access to insulin and delivery and monitoring tools, such as pumps or continuous glucose monitoring.

The results may lead to the first new option in years for youth with type 2 diabetes, besides metformin and insulin.

The CDC created the National Diabetes Prevention Program following a study of a lifestyle intervention; new results show that more than a third of adults who are referred to a program take part, but only a fraction are referred.

The study by researchers at Penn State College of Medicine found those with type 1 diabetes who read blogs had lower glycated hemoglobin (A1C) levels, and the combination of reading blogs and using continuous glucose monitoring produced the best glycemic control.

Results of the landmark study, the first in a series of renal outcomes studies for SGLT2 inhibitors, will be of great interest to policy makers given the cost of dialysis to Medicare.

For endocrinologists, a cardiologist, a diabetes educator, and a room full of fellow health workers, the cost of doing nothing—not just to treat diabetes, but also to prevent it— is what feeds into the exorbitant cost of the disease, according to presentations and a panel at the inaugural meeting of the Institute for Value Based Medicine (IVBM) in Diabetes, an initiative of The American Journal of Managed Care®.

The potential value of continuous monitoring of blood glucose and the enzyme-based electrode that underlies continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in the subcutaneous tissue were described in the 1960s. In 1999, the FDA approved the first “professional” CGM system, which stored data over 3 days for later retrieval and analysis. However, many patients (even volunteers in CGM-based clinical trials) found early-generation systems uncomfortable and difficult to wear. By contrast, current systems are more accurate, provide customizable alerts and alarms, are easier to use and less likely to cause skin irritation, resist interference from acetaminophen, allow for real-time data to be shared and remotely monitored, and are stable enough so as not to require periodic calibrations with SMBG values.

Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) are increasingly accessible and effective for patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), and even those with prediabetes, as a means for real-time biofeedback and behavior change.

When the FDA approved Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre Flash continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system in September 2017, diabetes advocates hailed the move as long overdue and one that might lead to greater penetration of glucose monitoring technology for those with type 2 diabetes.

In 2017, as advocates and researchers discussed the potential for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) to become a tool in clinical trials, most of the discussion involved testing in new therapies. The discussion culminated in an international consensus on CGM, published in December 2017, that included standards for assessing hypoglycemia in clinical trials.

Three years after results from a study in Diabetes Care revealed how flaws in CMS’ Competitive Bidding Program endangered Medicare patients who rely on supplies to test their blood glucose, the federal government has allowed contracts to expire for the dwindling number of suppliers, raising fears that the program for seniors with diabetes has reached the point of collapse.

More than a decade after an FDA mandate for cardiovascular outcomes trials, cardiologists say insights gained on how 2 new drug classes affect heart failure in diabetes should be used to prevent complications. Several sessions at the 68th Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology addressed this topic.

The study illuminates how the weight loss, reduction in fatty liver disease, and a decreased risk for cardiovascular disease happens in patients taking SGLT2 inhibitors.

Digital tools for managing diabetes and insulin have proliferated in recent years.

The study used the Freestyle Libre to track blood glucose levels in patients with and without type 2 diabetes (T2D) who had different surgical procedures; the CGM showed a drop in glucose on the third day after surgery among patients with T2D who had gastric bypass.

The initial trial made news because the results were at odds with ACCORD. This new analysis highlights the need for personalized diabetes care, especially among older adults.

Clinical trial data has shown that the drug helped 28.6% of patients achieve glycated hemoglobin of 7.0% of less by week 24 without severe hypoglycemia or diabetic ketoacidosis and also helped participants lose weight.

The Great Recession was associated with increased blood pressure and glucose levels, especially among groups of older homeowners and individuals younger than 65 years still employed, according to new research published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Medication use fell after the Great Recession, and the results provide strong evidence that economic crises can have measurable effects on public health.