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Diabetes is a chronic autoimmune disease, which make the body of the sufferer unable to produced or properly use up insulin. In the United
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How does
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Dexcom 5G Mobile CGM work
Can the monitoring device Dexcom G5 Mobile Continuous Glucose Monitoring System (Dexcom G5 Mobile CGM) revolutionize glucose monitoring and set the standard in the near future? Dexcom G5 CGM is the first real-time glucose trends detecting device for adults and children 2 years and older with diabetes. The aim is to detect hyperglycemia (glucose levels too high) and hypoglycemia (glucose levels too low) in real-time with alerts and to help patients to make treatment decisions for example, administer insulin or carbohydrates. It will also facilitate long-time therapy for patients by helping them to determine the patterns in glucose levels. (United States, Food and Drug Administration, FDA 2017.) Dexcom G5 CGM needs prescription and is intended for a single patient use. It consists of a small flexible metal wire sensor (worn subcutaneously for up to 7 days), a transmitter (externally-worn) and a dedicated receiver and/or compatible mobile device. The sensor will respond to the amount of sugar by generating a small electrical signal, which the transmitter will then collect as a glucose value. The transmitter will send the collected values and trends to the receiver every 5 minutes via Bluetooth connection. Before that user must download the application from Android Market or from iTunes App Store and create Dexcom account. Then connect the receiver/mobile device with the transmitter and insert the sensor under the skin. After that user can start receive glucose information. (Dexcom 2017.)
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It is important to know that the transmitter and sensor must be removed before MRI, CT scan or diathermy treatment and if medications with acetaminophen is in use while wearing the Dexcom G5, glucose readings may falsely raise (Dexcom 2017).
For proper user safety, the equipment must always be in good condition and the system must be calibrated every 12 hours by using a fingertip blood sample. The system will start show glucose values only after 2 hours from startup. If the system does not show glucose values, user must always take fingertip blood sample and make the treatment decision according to that value. User must also never ignore high or low glucose symptoms despite that the system shows normal glucose values. The system has not been tested with pregnant women and with persons in dialysis so the glucose readings may be inaccurate. (Dexcom 2017.)
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- The transmitter range for the Bluetooth connectivity is only about 3m so the receiver must be in that range to maintain the connection with the transmitter.
- Transmitter's battery lasts only about 3 months and new one must be ordered every time through Dexcom web page. This can cause problems for the user if he/she forget to order new transmitter on time.
- If user's phone runs out of battery power, there will be no way to receive data from the transmitter. Also, the Bluetooth connection consumes a lot of phone battery.
- Bluetooth connection is not so reliable.
- Still fingertip blood sample need to be taken and calibrated every 12 hours.
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Future views
According to David Rodbard (2017) the use of continuous glucose monitoring devices are now reliable in reducing the hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. Furthermore, they have improved patients quality of lives across wide range of patient population. Continuous glucose monitoring is having a remarkable success in reducing HbA1c glucose level. Real-time glucose monitoring (RT-CGM) provides diabetes management tools for patient with type 1 and type 2 diabetes by giving them valuable information to make and sustain healthy lifestyle choices. The provision of RT-CGM every 5 minutes for patient with type 2 diabetes who are generally not good at monitoring their diabetes level. This patient group using RT-CGM were able to reduce the time they spent-on hyperglycemia (23%), hypoglycemia (21%) and they have reduced level of HbA1c compare to patient using Self-monitoring blood glucose. Glycemic variability has adverse effects on: endothelial tissue function, cognitive functions, retinopathy and cardiovascular system but with Dexcom 5G constant RT-CGM, these dangers can be avoided and minimized. On the disadvantage side, Dexcom 5G requires twice daily calibrations and alarm fatigue can develop which lead to some users completely ignoring the warnings (
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In conclusion, we strongly believe most of the studies given above that the Dexcom G5 Mobile CGM is a reliable device. Which is going to further improve the relationship between health care providers and patients. By providing continuous real-time raw data to health care providers the connection between patient and care provider will be strengthen. Dexcom G5 is the pacesetter in taking patients and nurses into the future in a new direction of artificial pancreas, providing real-time solution to diabetes disease.
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