Monitor diabetes with sensors

The Flash Glucose Monitoring System from Abbott is a transformative glucose monitoring technology for people with diabetes. The Flash Glucose Monitoring System is a glucose assessment tool that fundamentally changes how doctors can personalize their patient's diabetes treatment plans thus allowing patients to better monitor their glucose levels.

"India now carries 20 percent of the global burden of diabetes," said Robert Ford, senior vice president, Diabetes Care, Abbott. "There is an immense need to help people in India better manage their diabetes, enabling them to live healthier lives. Abbott's Flash Glucose Monitoring System is designed to empower doctors in India to help their patients through rich data and actionable insights."
The Glucose Monitoring System consists of a small, round sensor— slightly larger than a 10 rupee coin. A doctor applies the discreet, water-resistant and disposable sensor on the back of the upper arm of a person with diabetes. The sensor is held in place with a self-adhesive pad and remains on the back of the arm for up to 14 days, requiring no patient interaction with the sensor or finger-prick calibration.

The system continuously measures glucose in interstitial fluid through a small (5mm long, 0.4mm wide) filament that is inserted just under the skin. It records glucose levels every 15 minutes, capturing up to 1340 glucose readings over 14 days, thus giving the treating doctor comprehensive data for a complete glucose profile of their patient.
After 14 days, the person returns to the doctor's office, where the doctor uses a Flash Glucose Monitoring reader to scan the sensor and download the glucose results that are stored in the sensor—in as quickly as five seconds. Scanning can take place while the sensor is under clothing, making scanning more discreet and convenient.

The Importance of Visual Data
Once the reader has downloaded the glucose data from the sensor, the doctor then transfers the data from the reader into a computer. The software can generate reports that provide doctors with the Ambulatory Glucose Profile (AGP) graph, a visual snapshot, which helps them:

• Clearly and easily understand when sugar levels go high and low (hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic) over a typical 24 hour period
• Identify when patient presents hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic trends
• Detect overnight hypoglycemia trends
• Identify postprandial (sugar levels after taking food) glucose spikes

This data can help doctors have more productive discussions with their patients, make more informed treatment decisions and modify treatment accordingly to suit a patient’s individual lifestyle. These reports can also be used as an information tool by people with diabetes to see the impact of food, medication, health and exercise on their blood sugar levels thus empowering the patient to taking control of their diabetes.