Abbott, the multinational pharmaceutical and medical device company based in Illinois, has rolled out its professional version of the Flash Glucose Monitoring System in India. Priced at approximately $32, it consists of a small, round, sensor the size of a dime, which is water-resistant and disposable. This sensor is applied on the back of the upper arm of a person with diabetes. The self-adhesive pad keeps the sensor in place for 14 days, requiring no patient interaction with the sensor or finger-prick calibration, Abbott explained. A small (5mm long, 0.4mm wide) filament is inserted just under the skin, and every 15 minutes the system measures and records glucose in the interstitial fluid capturing up to 1,340 glucose readings over two weeks.
This data is read by the doctors using a reader which looks like a mobile phone, and is priced at approximately $112. A single reader can read multiple patients’ glucose readings. The reader downloads glucose data from the sensor, which the doctor can transfer to a computer. The software can generate reports that provide doctors with the Ambulatory Glucose Profile graph that helps them easily understand when sugar levels go high and low over a typical 24-hour period reports The Hindu Business Line. Ambulatory Glucose Profiles provide a comprehensive view of a patient’s changing glucose levels over time, thus allowing the clinician to see patterns and adjust therapy accordingly. The data can also be used by diabetics 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.
