Life has become a lot easier for people with diabetes in recent years. New technology has made administering insulin a lot easier. Plus, you don’t have to worry about your glucose levels as much, either. Here are some of the latest advances in diabetes treatments and technology.
For years, every time a diabetic tested glucose levels, they’d have to prick themselves. However, that is no longer the case.
Continuous glucose monitoring systems monitor them around the clock for you. The most popular CGM would be the Dexcom G6.
Continuous glucose monitoring systems monitor them around the clock for you. The most popular CGM would be the Dexcom G6. Share on XIf you’re wondering about the Dexcom G6 cost, there’s good news. Certain insurances, including Medicare, will cover them. Either way, these constantly monitor glucose levels without having to draw any blood. Better yet, you can even sync them up with insulin pumps.
By monitoring glucose levels constantly, you can administer insulin whenever it’s needed. As a result, life has gotten much easier for modern diabetes treatments and technology. Compared to older methods, these are much more comfortable and convenient.
Closed-loop pumps are also known as the artificial pancreas. Living as a diabetic with one of these is almost like not being diabetic at all. They’ll deliver exactly how much insulin your body needs whenever your levels change. You’ll never have to struggle with hyperglycemia again.
Some of them even integrate glucagon support. So, if you’re levels drop too low, it’ll give you a boost. At the moment, fully automated systems are still in development. However, there are a few systems that function as a hybrid.
That means you’ve still got to administer some insulin depending on what you’re eating. Eating high-sugar foods isn’t possible without taking a bolus of insulin. But, in the near future, even that won’t be necessary anymore.
Tracking your glucose levels meant you had to write everything down back in the day. Now, you can get an insulin pen that tracks it for you. These remember what your levels were the last time you took a dose. Then, they’ll alert you whenever your next one is due. As such, you won’t have to spend nearly as much time worrying about glucose levels. Since they’ll remind you, you can just take your dose and move on.
Now, there’s more than just a single type of insulin available at your pharmacy. You could get some that are long-lasting, keeping insulin levels stable for longer. Or, you might want to get something that’s fast-acting. These stabilize your levels a lot faster than traditional insulin. Some companies are even working on an extended-release version. That would make it possible to take a single dose for the whole day.
Diabetics suffer from more than just unstable insulin levels. Luckily, new medications have been developed to target other problems associated with diabetes. For example, Metformin is capable of reducing your body’s absorption of glucose.
DPP-4 inhibitors are another class of medications that help diabetics. Using them makes your body releases insulin slower. And, they’ll work to control your appetite. A lot of diabetics use them to better manage their weight.
Another medication used to manage diabetes would be Thiazolidinediones. These increase your body’s sensitivity to insulin. Because of them, you won’t need as much insulin to get the same results.
Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors provide support by slowing down the metabolism of sugars. Thus, helping regulate your body’s glucose levels more directly.
Glucagon has been around for a long time, but it hasn’t always been that easy to use. Most of the time, people have injected glucagon whenever they’re feeling hypoglycemic. But, new devices make it so that you can simply inhale it. That seems to be a lot simpler for most people.
Managing diabetes is still a lifelong commitment. However, thanks to new technology, diabetes management has gotten so much easier. Now, diabetics can monitor their glucose levels throughout the day without drawing blood. And, they’re able to regular their insulin levels using a smartphone app. Even better diabetes treatments and technology seems to be on the horizon, too.
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