Diabetes Technology Manufacturers Seemingly on a Sugar Rush

It’s been a productive last few years for diabetes management technology.

Diabetes patients previously had to get used to pricking their fingers several times a day to track their blood glucose levels. But the continuous glucose monitor (CGM) has offered patients enormous relief. A CGM still requires the sensor to be inserted with a brief needle poke when it’s placed, but today’s sensors can be worn for weeks or even months. Plus, they’re so small patients may often forget they have them on the body.

Insulin pumps were also pretty complicated in the past, often cumbersome and impeding daily activities. But now the devices have become small enough to work with patients’ daily lives, with some delivering continuous and customized doses of rapid-acting insulin 24 hours a day to keep up with the body’s needs. Modern pumps can provide insulin in two ways: basal insulin, small amounts released continuously throughout the day, and bolus insulin, which can be delivered on demand to match food intake or resolve high blood sugar. The pump delivers insulin through a thin flexible tube called an infusion set