UofG leads new global diabetes guidelines

The American Diabetes Association has issued a statement on improving the clinical value and use of continues glucose monitoring systems. Professor John Petrie, Professor of Diabetic Medicine at the Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, was the lead and corresponding author on the statement, which included a team of medical and research experts from the American Diabetes Association (Association) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), who convened to evaluate CGM and related technologies. The group aimed to consider and make recommendations on how health care professionals, CGM manufacturers, regulatory authorities, policymakers and consumers can best ensure effective and appropriate use of CGM as the technology continues to develop. Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) devices use subcutaneous glucose sensors to automatically track blood glucose levels 24 hours a day. The systems alert users to changes in blood glucose levels, therefore assisting them in making informed decisions about nutrition, physical activity and medication. While CGM systems have been available for over 15 years ago, the percentage of people with diabetes who use CGM, compared to conventional blood glucose measuring systems, is still low in most parts of the world, including Scotland, where the standard of care is finger prick blood glucose testing which is painful and hard to do more than three or four times a day. In the UK (including Scotland), CGM devices, which avoid the need for regular finger pricking, are much less frequently used than in other developed countries as most patients have to self-fund the devices and consumables.