A continuous glucose monitoring device is a small device people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes can wear to measure their glucose levels every few minutes throughout the day and night. You can use CGM devices by themselves or in combination with a compatible insulin pump.
A CGM device has 3 main parts:
- The sensor which is inserted just under your skin. The sensor is disposable and needs to be changed after several days. Some CGM devices come with an applicator to make insertion of the sensor under your skin easier.
- The transmitter which for some CGM systems is reusable and attaches to each new sensor, and for other systems is already part of the disposable sensor. The transmitter sends the glucose readings wirelessly to a receiver. Both the sensor and transmitter are held in place by an adhesive (sticky) patch.
- The receiver then gets the blood glucose results and displays them. For some monitoring devices, your receiver can be a mobile phone, a smart tablet (eg, an iPad), or a compatible insulin pump.
With some CGM devices, you can share your results with multiple caregivers including your healthcare provider.
See a comparison of CGM devices in Aotearoa New Zealand(external link).
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