Devices

Rudy Bilous, MD, FRCP Richard Donnelly, MD, PHD, FRCP, FRACP   Modern management of type 1 diabetes comprises a package of measures including multiple daily injections for a more physiological insulin replacement; assessment of glycaemic control using blood glucose self-monitoring as well as clinic tests such as glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c); insulin dosage …

Rudy Bilous, MD, FRCP Richard Donnelly, MD, PHD, FRCP, FRACP   Diabetic control ‘defines the extent to which the metabolism in the person with diabetes differs from that in the person without diabetes. Measurement usually focuses on blood glucose: ‘good ‘ control implies maintenance of near-normal blood glucose concentrations throughout the day. …

Rudy Bilous, MD, FRCP Richard Donnelly, MD, PHD, FRCP, FRACP   Maturity-onset diabetes of the young Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) owes its name to a time when diabetes was defined by age of onset. The nomenclature has stuck, however, and MODY defines usually non-insulin dependent diabetes occurring before the age …

Control solution, used for ensuring the proper function of glucose meters, doesn’t appear to be a priority among physicians, pharmacists, or patients…. 

Rudy Bilous, MD, FRCP Richard Donnelly, MD, PHD, FRCP, FRACP   Epidemiological studies of diabetes prevalence are often based upon age and self-reported diagnosis. Consequently differentiating type 1 and type 2 patients in population studies is difficult. The most recent authoritative review of global prevalence published by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) …

  Rudy Bilous MD, FRCP Richard Donnelly MD, PHD, FRCP, FRACP   The most common cause of type 1 diabetes (over 90% of cases) is T cell-mediated autoimmune destruction of the islet beta cells leading to a failure of insulin production. The exact aetiology is complex and still imperfectly understood. However, it …

Terry Gregg, CEO, Dexcom, talks about some of the new technological breakthroughs his company is working on especially developing an artificial pancreas. Recent trials, of which Dexcom is involved in about 18, have dramatically increased the accuracy and effective functioning of some of these devices. He also discusses his interest …

Terry Gregg, CEO, Dexcom, talks about the recent FDA approval for using CGM devices in children as young as 2 years old and what this means for improvement in care for young type 1 diabetes patients. He also explains how Dexcom and Joslin are working together to develop more effective …

Terry Gregg, CEO, Dexcom, discusses the current landscape of reimbursement for CGM technology. Although insurance companies were initially slow to catch on for approving CGM devices for type 1’s, there has been a shift and approvals seem to be improving. He is also sees the overall market increasing as more …

Rudy Bilous MD, FRCP Richard Donnelly MD, PHD, FRCP, FRACP   Islet structure and function Insulin is synthesized in and secreted from the β-cells within the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. The normal pancreas has about 1 million islets, which constitute about 2-3% of the gland’s mass. All of the islet …