A continuous glucose monitor (CGM) is a device that provides continuous “real-time” readings of blood sugar levels to help people with diabetes better manage glucose levels. Several models have been approved by the FDA, while others are under review. Medicare and many private insurance plans cover continuous glucose monitoring.
How Does a Continuous Glucose Monitor Work?
The device is attached to a small sensor placed under the skin of your stomach that measures blood glucose levels. Each time the sensor reads glucose levels, it sends this information to the monitor and records an average glucose value at predetermined intervals (this may vary among devices). Some CGMs may record blood sugar levels up to 300 times throughout the day and night.
Whenever you take insulin (either injections or oral diabetes medications), exercise and eat (both meals and snacks), you will record the time of the event in the monitor, as well as keep a detailed record of it on paper. In addition, you can set alarms to alert you when glucose levels become too low or too high.
A continuous glucose monitor is prescribed by a physician and is typically worn for 3 days to a week. After this time, the doctor will remove the sensor and download the information collected into a computer. You and your doctor can then review your blood sugar levels and make any necessary changes to your diabetes management plan.
A continuous glucose monitor is not intended for long-term use and does not replace standard blood sugar monitoring with glucose meters.
Why Use a Continuous Glucose Monitor?
The primary reason for using a CGM is to reveal fluctuations and trends in glucose levels that may not be detected by standard HbA1c tests and finger stick measurements. Trends that it can evaluate include:
- Overnight blood sugar levels
- Morning blood glucose levels
- Glucose levels between meals
- The effect of diet and exercise on blood sugar levels
- The effect of changes made to diabetes medication(s)
Using a CGM can help your doctor assess your blood sugar levels and recommend changes to your diet, exercise or medications if necessary. By gaining tighter control of your blood glucose, you reduce your risk of experiencing complications of diabetes.
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