Measuring blood glucose is a natural part of life for people with diabetes. The treatment protocol and lifestyle may change according to the results of these measurements. Monitoring blood sugar is also effective in preventing emergencies that may occur in case of blood sugar changes. Continuous glucose monitoring is a system that can be used instead of conventional finger prick blood glucose measurement, allowing continuous monitoring of blood glucose. Continuous Glucose Monitoring Device Continuous glucose monitoring is a type of glucose measurement performed with a continuous glucose monitoring device. A continuous glucose monitor is a medical device worn on the body. The device sensor is placed under the skin on the abdomen or arm. The sensor measures blood glucose every 10-15 minutes, day and night. There are also continuous glucose monitoring devices that can connect with each other if the person is using an insulin pump. The measurement results are sent to the device monitor. With some sensors, results can also be sent to smart devices. The biggest advantage of a continuous glucose monitoring device, besides measuring and displaying the sugar level, is that it warns when the glucose level drops too low or rises too high. These devices are mostly used by people with Type 1 Diabetes. It can be used with the approval of a doctor and is suitable for children as well as adults. Conditions for which a continuous glucose monitoring device is recommended by a doctor include:
Intensive insulin therapy
Frequent hypoglycemia
Frequent hyperglycemia
Children and people with diabetes who need to be controlled by their family
Why Should Blood Sugar Be Monitored? Monitoring blood glucose levels closely affects many factors, from diet to insulin use. Because constantly falling and rising blood sugar levels can harm a person’s health. If these values are too far away from what they should be, they can cause serious problems that require urgent intervention. Many things affect blood sugar during the day, such as diet, physical activity and lifestyle. But every person is affected by these factors in different ways. online health Conditions that can cause changes in blood sugar are:
Amount of carbohydrates consumed
Insulin dose used
Physical activity
Use of corticosteroid medication
Surgery
Stress
Cigarette
Puberty
Insufficient water consumption
Skipping meals
Regl
Time between meals
Alcohol use
Pregnancy
Fluctuations in blood sugar can cause seizures, coma and other serious health problems. Therefore, with regular monitoring of blood sugar, serious conditions can be recognized and prevented. A continuous glucose monitoring device measures blood glucose independently of the individual and can allow time to bring sugar levels under control before emergencies occur. At the same time, the records obtained through these devices can be delivered to the doctor under the control of the doctor and in telemedicine services and the data can be monitored. Benefits of Continuous Glucose Monitoring With continuous glucose monitoring, it can be seen how factors such as nutrition, physical activity and stress affect blood sugar. The importance of learning this is that each factor causes different effects for each person. If blood sugar stays at high levels for a long time, a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis can occur, which can lead to loss of consciousness. Apart from this, the other serious problem is diabetes-related hyperosmolar conditions that increase the viscosity of the blood, which can also occur in high blood sugar levels. At the same time, prolonged low blood sugar can cause a person to fall into a coma. When blood sugar changes are not noticed at the right time or persist for a long time, the following conditions can occur:
Loss of vision
Paralysis
Cardiovascular diseases
Diabetic neuropathy
Kidney diseases
Koma
Watch
Diabetic ketoacidosis
Diabetic hyperosmolar
The advantage of continuous glucose monitoring is that the slightest drops and rises in blood sugar can be detected before these health problems occur. With this follow-up, patients can get the necessary support by contacting the health institution when they see an unexpected value in blood sugar. But sometimes the person may not realize the seriousness of the situation. Therefore, quick communication with the doctor is important. With telemedicine, patients can communicate the blood glucose changes they see on the continuous glucose monitoring device to their doctor without going to the hospital and can be directed to the emergency room if there is an emergency. At the same time, if there are interventions that the person can do instantly, the doctor can provide information about this and the blood sugar can be normalized.