Continuous blood glucose monitor excellent for early diagnosis

A CGM is a device that measures blood sugar to a greater or lesser extent. real time.

The sensors in these devices are attached to the skin with adhesive patches and measure blood sugar levels without the need for regular finger pricks.

These devices measure and track blood sugar levels throughout the day. Fluctuationsuch as a sudden rise in blood sugar after a meal or when blood sugar drops.

Measurements can be viewed on smartphones or other monitoring devices.

A new study published on May 24 found that Mayo Clinic Minutes: Digital HealthScientists at the Crick Institute, based in Canada, used data from CGM to identify people with impaired glucose homeostasis, a precursor to prediabetes.

They found that one in five participants diagnosed as healthy according to current medical standards actually had glucose metabolism similar to prediabetics.

“For people with diabetes, blood sugar levels can go up and down like a violent roller coaster with spikes and peaks,” study author Jaycee Kaufman, a researcher at the Crick Institute, said in the paper. news release.

In our study, “we saw a similar pattern in the following patients: [impaired glucose homeostasis]That said, those patterns resembled gentle waves rather than dramatic peaks,” he said. “However, interventions in this population may limit the likelihood of progression to outright diabetes.”

In this study, a total of 384 participants wore CGM for 2 weeks. During that time, doctors diagnosed them as diabetic, pre-diabetic, or healthy, according to doctors. guidelines As outlined by the American Diabetes Association.

Researchers used a mathematical model to compare data from participants with data from people without diabetes, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes. From this, they classified participants into her two groups, an effective group and an impaired group, based on their glucose homeostasis patterns.

If supported by future clinical trials, this study may provide an intervention-friendly early diagnosis method for prediabetes.

Doctor.Kathleen WynnAn endocrinologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus said by focusing on real-time data, researchers could identify people earlier in the disease process.

“In fact they [could potentially] It can identify people faster than the current methods,” she told Healthline. “This could be early enough to actually slow the progression of the disease.”

Additionally, using CGM allowed researchers to analyze the spike in blood sugar that occurs after a meal, said Wein, who was not involved in the new study.

This will allow us to “identify who is most at risk of developing glucose intolerance” and “also predict when they will progress to type 2 diabetes,” she said.

according to Centers for Disease Control and PreventionMore than 1 in 3 American adults, or about 96 million people, have prediabetes. Of these, more than 80% do not know he has the disease.

“This means that only a minority of people are at high risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease. strokeand some kinds of cancer — Know that making lifestyle changes now is the best way to protect yourself from future illness and disability,” Weisenberger said.

Prediabetes occurs when cells in the body do not respond normally to insulin. This hormone is produced by the pancreas and helps blood sugar enter the cells where it is used as an energy source.

When cells become resistant to insulin, the pancreas responds by producing more of this hormone. Eventually, the pancreas will not be able to keep up and blood sugar levels will rise. This increases the risk of health problems and her developing type 2 diabetes.

Risk factor Prediabetes includes:

• life with obesity or overweight
• be over 45 years old
• have a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes
• Physical activity less than 3 times a week
• have diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) or if you gave birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds
• have polycystic ovary syndrome

In addition, blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, and some Asian Americans are at increased risk of prediabetes.

Wine said CGM could provide useful information about people’s health. She can also collect and share data with doctors, which could help them decide what steps to take, she said.

“For many people watching this, [information] “It will come true,” she said. “And it helps you understand that your body can’t handle certain foods or portions.”

But “people need to be ready to use that data to learn how to make healthier food choices,” she added.

Several research Studies have shown that small healthy lifestyle changes in prediabetics can reduce the risk of developing diabetes by 40% to 70%.

These changes include losing some weight if you are overweight and increasing your physical activity.

According to the CDC, a small amount of weight is 5% to 7% of body weight. For someone who weighs 200 pounds, this is him 10-14 pounds.

of Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2^nd edit It also recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week. Also, aim for at least two days of strength-building activity per week.

Because prediabetes and diabetes are progressive conditions that, if left untreated, will worsen over time, Weisenberger says it’s important to “act now and develop the habits you need consistently.” said it was important.

In addition to moving more and sitting less, she suggests eating a balanced, starch-free diet. vegetable Broccoli, carrots, celery, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, etc.

She also recommends reducing intake of what she calls “extra” foods, such as sweets, fried foods, and sugary drinks.

“There are many things you can do,” she said. “The list goes on and on.”