Can Continuous Glucose Monitors Improve Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes?

BOSTON - April 22, 2010 — CGMs, primarily used for monitoring blood glucose levels in patient with type 1 diabetes mellitus, can be helpful in managing patients with type 2 diabetes or any diabetes patient in the hospital setting according to experts today at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) 19th Annual Meeting & Clinical Congress.

An emerging use for CGM is for type 2 diabetes therapy. Though not a permanent replacement for finger prick tests, putting a patient on CGM for several weeks will provide clinicians with a better picture of what is truly happening with the patient’s blood glucose

levels.

“The physician will then be able to chart out the best possible treatment plan for their patient,” Dr. Robert M. Cuddihy, endocrinologist and medical director at the International

Diabetes Center at Park Nicollet said.

The results may be especially beneficial in hospital settings. Recent studies, such as NICE-SUGAR have raised questions concerning the merits of tight glycemic control in the hospital setting. CGMs allow clinicians to review minute-by-minute trends, thereby minimizing

glycemic excursions and “tipping the scales” in favor of glycemic control.

“Good glycemic control [in the hospital] is still relevant if CGMs are constantly checked,” Dr. Cuddihy said.

Source: The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists