We recently wrote about how inaccurate continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) are for people without blood sugar concerns. In that blog, we talked about how they aid people with blood sugar concerns. A new study has found another perk to CGMs.
CGMs make people with blood sugar concerns safer while driving. According to research, people who had CGMs that alerted them to blood sugar lows were more confident in their safety. Being hypoglycemic causes impaired judgment and other problems. Being aware of that state early and avoiding getting on the road made almost two-thirds of the study participants more confident in their skills.
For the study, the participants went through two four-week periods. During one of the periods, the alerts were active on their CGMs. During the other, it was turned off. When the alert is on, it makes a noise and vibrates to let the wearer know their blood sugar is low.
When people had the alert turned on, they were more aware of lows and less likely to drive. Only about 19 percent of people with the alert turned on had a low while driving. Meanwhile, 33 percent of people with the alert muted drove while low. That suggests that simply charting blood sugar continuously isn’t enough; a person needs to be alerted to it in real time. When given the information, people act on it, making themselves — and everyone around them — safer. It shows that CGMs aren’t just helpful from a medical angle but for public safety and quality of life.
“CGM with low-glucose alerts can potentially reduce the risk of hypoglycemia for insulin-treated drivers,” said Dr. Hiroshi Arima, who led the research. “By monitoring glucose levels by CGM, most hypoglycemic attacks could be avoided even when driving. Such systems are expected to make driving safer.”
Four percent of people with blood sugar concerns have a car accident because of low blood sugar. Lowering that risk could potentially save lives.
The participants said they would like the alerts to be built into their GPS systems. Having their CGMs fully synced across their devices would keep them up to date at all times. Having more information was better as far as driving safety was concerned.
CGMs are available OTC. However, they will most likely be cheaper if you can get them through insurance. You can determine if a CGM would be right for you by speaking to your doctor. While they aren’t right for everyone, one may improve your quality of life and safety!
