ADVANCEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY MAKE MONITORING AND TREATMENT FASTER

NEW DELHI: Even as diabetes remains a growing concern, advances in technology have made insulin treatment and glucose monitoring painless, convenient, faster and better for patients, allowing them to live a longer and normal life, with lesser complications.

“Advances in continuous glucose monitoring systems are especially helpful in treating cases that have unpredictable or unrecognised diabetes,” says Dr Ajay Ajmani, head of endocrinology department, BLK Hospital.

The glucose monitoring system comes in two types: continuous glucose and flash glucose monitoring.

Flash glucose monitors can be worn on the arm and saves patients from the need to insert needles frequently. Readings can be taken through patches over two weeks and later downloaded on a smartphone or tablet as a graph.

Continuous glucose monitoring devices are more sophisticated and are inserted beneath the skin as a patch, over the abdomen, and provide readings over three to six days. Some devices also come with advanced sensors such as an alarm system that goes off if sugar levels peak or plummet.

Newer technologies have also made insulin delivery more effective. Among the varieties of insulin pumps available is a patch with small cannula that is attached over the abdomen. This cannula is connected to the pump which is a small pager like device that delivers insulin as programmed as per blood glucose levels even at as short as a 5-minute gap. The pump can be programmed to work physiologically like a pancreas.

Earlier, those dependent on insulin had to inject needles multiple times in a day. The new age medicines and injections have fewer side-effects, and some even lead to weight loss as they stop loss of glucose through urine.

The technology advances, however, can cost up to a few lakhs. “The gadgets are expensive and the newer medicines cost nearly 5-10 times more compared to the conventional drugs. But it’s a boon for those whose condition is difficult to control,” says Dr Anoop Misra, chairman, Fortis-C- DOC centre of excellence for diabetes, metabolic diseases and endocrinology.

“Everyone doesn’t need these newer drugs and gadgets. Most people show good results with conventional drugs,” Dr Ajmani says.