Proactively manage diabetes with CGM technology

Proactively manage blood sugar with technology

After falling into a deep coma and having to go to the emergency room 7 years ago, Ms. Tuyet Phuong, 42 years old, Ho Chi Minh City discovered that she had type 1 diabetes. Ms. Phuong still remembers the feeling of confusion at that time: “I didn’t know when my blood sugar was high or low, I didn’t know when I had to inject insulin. If I didn’t handle it in time, my body would get tired very quickly, and I could even fall into a coma.”

Every day, she has to prick her finger to check her blood sugar at least 8 times: after waking up and before going to bed, 90 minutes before and after eating. “Every time I prick my finger, it hurts,” she confided.

Fortunately, a few months after discovering the disease, her friends introduced her to continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology. This technology allows her to monitor her blood sugar anytime, anywhere, even while sleeping, without having to prick her finger.

When she wants to check her blood sugar level, she uses the reader to scan the sensor on her arm. “Just one swipe and you will know your blood sugar level, from there you can choose how much insulin to inject, and what to eat to keep your blood sugar stable within the target range. This device helps me live like a normal person, and be more comfortable in my daily activities and eating,” said Ms. Phuong.

When she first used the device, she checked her blood sugar data with the reader every day after eating and drinking, took a photo of the results, and sent it to her doctor for advice. After a few months, she was able to monitor her blood sugar and manage it at home. Thanks to the CGM, she understood that blood sugar fluctuations depend on many factors, not only food but also mood and lifestyle. When she saw that her blood sugar index was higher than the allowed level, she would do light exercise or inject insulin to adjust. On the contrary, she would eat more if she saw that her blood sugar index was lower than the allowed level. “The doctor cannot monitor me 24/7, I have to manage my own condition,” said Ms. Phuong.

Ms. Phuong said that in the past seven years, she has not had to be hospitalized for diabetes again because she has learned how to monitor her blood sugar using Abbott’s CGM device.

Mr. Van Chi (70 years old, Ho Chi Minh City) discovered he had type 2 diabetes in 2002, during a general health check-up. Realizing that this was a lifelong disease, he decided to find a way to “live with it” by regularly monitoring his blood sugar, changing unhealthy eating habits, and exercising to maintain stable blood sugar and avoid complications. At first, he used FreeStyle Libreg blood sugar test strips. Having to prick his finger multiple times a day made him feel uncomfortable and tired.

Three years ago, Mr. Chi started using a continuous blood glucose monitoring device called the glucometer, which allows him to easily monitor his blood sugar levels. After eating, he scans the sensor with the reader to see how the food affects his blood sugar, so he can better understand which foods he should eat and which he should not. He cited that after eating durian, mango, etc., he “swiped” and saw that his blood sugar increased. “From then on, I knew that these foods were not good for my health, so it was best to stop eating them,” he said.

According to Mr. Chi, continuous glucose monitoring devices can help people with diabetes live better. “Being able to proactively manage blood sugar is a blessing for people with diabetes,” he said.

Thanks to his efforts to manage stable blood sugar, maintain a healthy lifestyle and visit his doctor regularly, “after 22 years, I still live with diabetes happily and optimistically,” said Mr. Chi.

Manage blood sugar to maintain quality of life

According to Dr. Tran Quang Nam, Head of the Department of Endocrinology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, diabetes is a disease related to blood sugar metabolism disorders. To achieve treatment goals and prevent complications, it is necessary to monitor and control blood sugar levels.

However, as he observed, patients often do not feel whether their blood sugar is too high or too low. Therefore, there is a need for tools to help patients self-assess their blood sugar status so that problems can be detected and treated promptly.

The doctor assessed that continuous glucose monitoring provides more information than the traditional method of finger pricking. CGM can provide detailed data on the patient’s blood sugar fluctuations throughout the day, making it easier for doctors to monitor the patient’s condition.

According to him, three groups of patients are particularly recommended to use CGM to manage their disease: patients with high blood sugar who need active adjustment; patients with fluctuating blood sugar (sometimes high, sometimes low); and patients on special treatment regimens with insulin injections. For all three groups of patients, doctors need a lot of information about blood sugar to adjust the treatment method, so that it is most effective.

“In the treatment of diabetes, blood sugar management is the initial goal. The most important thing is to prevent complications from occurring. And secondly, it is necessary to maintain the patient’s quality of life so that they can live and work comfortably,” Dr. Nam concluded.

To improve treatment effectiveness and help people with diabetes have a better quality of life, last June, the Vietnam Association of Endocrinology and Diabetes introduced the “Guide to Continuous Glucose Monitoring CGM” to healthcare professionals. According to experts, applying CGM technology not only helps manage diabetes more effectively, but also contributes to reducing the cost burden for patients and the healthcare system.