Patient monitoring  

Medtronic launches continuous glucose monitoring system for diabetics

24 April 2007

Minneapolis, USA. Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE:MDT) has launched the Guardian REAL-Time System, a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system for improved diabetes management.

The new CGM system is intended to help protect diabetes patients from high and low glucose levels, and maintain tighter glucose control. Improved glucose control has been shown to significantly reduce the likelihood of certain long-term complications, including blindness, kidney failure, amputation, impotence, and heart disease.

The Guardian REAL-Time System will include the MiniLink REAL-Time Transmitter, a rechargeable, waterproof transmitter approximately one-third the size of previous Medtronic transmitters. It also incorporates the Medtronic CareLink personal therapy management software, which integrates data from the patient’s Guardian REAL-Time System, logbook and blood glucose meter to identify patterns and trends in glucose management.

“The launch of the Guardian REAL-Time System is the result of years of research aimed at improving diabetes management and control,” said Chris O’Connell, president of the Diabetes business at Medtronic. “This launch exemplifies Medtronic’s unwavering position as the industry leader in advanced diabetes technology.”

Features include predictive and rate-of-change alarms and expanded trend graphs. In addition to standard high and low glucose alerts, new early warning alerts — predictive and rate of change — warn patients before their glucose reaches preset thresholds. Comprehensive trend graphs show the effect of diet, exercise, medication, and lifestyle on glucose values in three-, six-, 12-, and 24-hour increments.

The transmitter sends glucose readings every five minutes to a monitor, which displays up to 288 real time readings a day — about 100 times more information than conventional glucose monitoring. This additional information provides better protection against frequent glycaemic highs and lows, and helps patients better manage their diabetes.

Data gathered from the Guardian REAL-Time System can be viewed using the CareLink Personal Therapy Management Software. This helps patients learn how insulin, carbohydrates and exercise affect their diabetes. Detailed treatment reports feature easy to use charts and graphs, and reveal patterns and problems often overlooked by traditional meter software or paper logbooks. These reports can then be shared with a physician and incorporated into electronic medical records where available.

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