Karachi: Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) technology has emerged as a major advancement in diabetes management, enabling patients to closely monitor their blood sugar levels round the clock and avoid dangerous fluctuations that could lead to serious complications, senior diabetologists and endocrinologists said on Monday.
They said the increasing use of CGM devices in Pakistan was helping patients better understand how food, exercise, medicines and daily routines affected their glucose levels, leading to improved diabetes control and timely medical intervention.
Speaking at a news briefing following a diabetes screening camp organised at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) in collaboration with the Discovering Diabetes Project, experts said CGM devices continuously track blood sugar levels throughout the day and night and immediately alert users if sugar levels rise too high or fall dangerously low, allowing patients and doctors to take prompt action.
They maintained that these devices were particularly beneficial for patients using insulin as well as those at risk of hypoglycaemia, a potentially life threatening condition caused by a sudden drop in blood sugar.
Experts maintained that continuous monitoring also enabled physicians to review detailed glucose patterns and adjust medicines more effectively according to individual patient needs.
Speaking on the occasion, renowned diabetologist Prof. Abdul Basit said that according to 2017 estimates, nearly 33 million people in Pakistan were living with diabetes, and the number had increased further over the years.
He said CGM devices were proving highly useful for diabetic patients as they provided real time information about fluctuations in blood glucose levels. “These devices help patients understand the impact of their daily diet, physical activity and medicines on blood sugar patterns,” he said.
Vice President of International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Iram Ghafoor said every individual should remain aware of their blood sugar status, stressing that modern monitoring devices were capable of tracking glucose levels every moment and issuing alarms whenever sugar levels became too high or too low.
According to her, the technology was making it easier for doctors and patients to assess the effectiveness of medicines and identify potentially dangerous changes before complications developed.
Eminent endocrinologist Dr. Qamar Masood said CGM devices were especially beneficial for patients suffering from Type 1 diabetes and those dependent on insulin therapy. He added that even patients taking oral anti diabetic medicines could experience episodes of hypoglycaemia.
“In such situations, continuous glucose monitoring devices can provide timely warnings and help prevent serious complications,” he said.
Prof. Musarrat Riaz said the devices continuously monitored glucose levels for 24 hours and had been in use internationally for many years, while their use in Pakistan was now gradually increasing.
She said detailed glucose records generated by the devices enabled doctors to make more accurate adjustments to medicines and treatment plans. She particularly highlighted the importance of close glucose monitoring during pregnancy, saying uncontrolled diabetes during pregnancy could pose risks for both mother and child.
Dr. Sameera Jabeen said CGM devices were also being used experimentally in children to evaluate their effectiveness and benefits in paediatric diabetes management.
The experts urged the government to take measures to make continuous glucose monitoring devices affordable and easily accessible so that a larger number of diabetic patients in Pakistan could benefit from the technology.
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