This week Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Aundrea Loftley about using a continuous glucose monitor for diabetes management. Dr. Loftley is an Associate Professor of Medicine and an endocrinologist at MUSC.
TRANSCRIPT:
Conner: I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio with Health Focus here at the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. A continuous glucose monitor is a wearable device that tracks your glucose levels in real-time. Doctor Aundrea Loftley is here to talk about why this device might be helpful for patients with diabetes. Doctor Loftley is an Associate Professor of Medicine, and she's an endocrinologist at MUSC. Doctor Loftley, tell us more details about a continuous glucose monitor and exactly how it works to measure blood sugar for patients with diabetes.
Dr. Loftley: A continuous glucose monitor, also known as a CGM, is a wearable device that tracks a person's blood sugar levels over time. Now, this is very different from a glucometer, also known as a glucose meter, which is used to check a blood sugar level at a single point in time. A continuous glucose monitor, on the other hand, measures the blood sugar levels 24 hours a day while you're wearing the device.
Conner: And, which patients with diabetes might benefit most from using this device to help manage their diabetes?
Dr. Loftley: Continuous glucose monitors can be used to help people with all types of diabetes better manage their blood glucose levels. And the knowledge that you gain from recognizing patterns and trends can help drive healthier food choices. And this leads to not only better diabetes control, but just an overall improvement in health outcomes.
Conner: If someone uses a CGM, do they still need to do finger-sticks also to test their glucose?
Dr. Loftley: Although continuous glucose monitors should drastically reduce the number of times someone has to use a finger-stick, you still need to have access to your glucometer, because finger-stick blood glucose measurements are still going to be useful for calibration or setup of the CGM device to confirm the accuracy of blood glucose readings. When there's a glucose reading that's maybe in question that you've gotten from the CGM, and then finger-sticks should always be a backup in the event your continuous glucose monitor fails.
Conner: Are there any limitations or drawbacks to using a CGM to manage diabetes?
Dr. Loftley: One of the main drawbacks is just the fact that when you use a continuous glucose monitor, you are measuring a glucose reading in the interstitial fluid, so there's a delay in your ability to capture the actual blood glucose level in the way that a glucometer would.
Conner: And what should people do who have diabetes, who are interested in considering this device for their management of diabetes?
Dr. Loftley: If you're interested in using a continuous glucose monitor to help manage your diabetes, please speak to your health care provider. These devices are typically prescribed for those that have diabetes and are using multiple daily insulin injections. But there are instances outside of that scenario where a continuous glucose monitor may be approved. For instance, if someone is having frequent low blood sugar events or hypoglycemia, a CGM may be recommended. So, a prescription is needed to obtain a continuous glucose monitor, and insurance companies can help cover the cost for those who meet the indications for using a CGM device. Again, if you're interested in your eligibility, please speak with your health care provider.
Conner: Doctor Loftley, thanks for this information about a continuous glucose monitor to help manage diabetes.
Dr. Loftley: You're welcome.
Conner: From the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio.
Health Focus transcripts are intended to accurately represent the original audio version of the program; however, some discrepancies or inaccuracies may exist. The audio format serves as the official record of Health Focus programming.
