What is the primary function of continuous glucose monitors in diabetes care?

What is the primary function of continuous glucose monitors in diabetes care?

• A. To replace insulin therapy
• B. To provide intermittent glucose checks
• C. To provide real-time glucose readings for timely treatment decisions
• D. To track food intake and exercise

Answer: (C)

Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) play a crucial role in diabetes management by providing real-time glucose readings. This capability allows individuals with diabetes and their healthcare team to make timely treatment decisions based on current glucose levels. With real-time data, patients can better understand their glucose patterns, identify trends, and respond proactively to high or low glucose levels, thereby improving overall glycemic control. This immediate feedback is essential for effective diabetes management, as it empowers patients to adjust their insulin doses, dietary choices, or physical activities in response to live data, reducing the risk of complications associated with poorly managed blood glucose levels. Other options do not accurately reflect the primary role of CGMs. While insulin therapy remains a vital part of diabetes management, CGMs do not replace it but rather complement it by aiding in monitoring. Intermittent glucose checks provide less frequent data than CGMs, which continuously track glucose levels. Additionally, while tracking food intake and exercise is important for diabetes management, this is not the primary function of CGMs, which focus solely on monitoring glucose levels.

Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) play a crucial role in diabetes management by providing real-time glucose readings. This capability allows individuals with diabetes and their healthcare team to make timely treatment decisions based on current glucose levels. With real-time data, patients can better understand their glucose patterns, identify trends, and respond proactively to high or low glucose levels, thereby improving overall glycemic control.

This immediate feedback is essential for effective diabetes management, as it empowers patients to adjust their insulin doses, dietary choices, or physical activities in response to live data, reducing the risk of complications associated with poorly managed blood glucose levels.

Other options do not accurately reflect the primary role of CGMs. While insulin therapy remains a vital part of diabetes management, CGMs do not replace it but rather complement it by aiding in monitoring. Intermittent glucose checks provide less frequent data than CGMs, which continuously track glucose levels. Additionally, while tracking food intake and exercise is important for diabetes management, this is not the primary function of CGMs, which focus solely on monitoring glucose levels.