Glucose Monitors - Glucose Meters

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With so many glucose monitors on the market today some individuals can get confused about which one to use. One consideration that should play no part in your decision is the cost of the meter. Most manufacturers are happy to practically give you a monitor so that you're forced to buy their test strips. Each manufacturer makes a different test strip, and they're not interchangeable from one monitor to another. Some even make a different strip for each individual monitor type.

Because the meters are so cheap and the science is changing so rapidly, it's a good idea to get a new glucose monitor every 1-2 years to make sure that you have the latest, state of the art model. The cost of most diabetic test strips are generally about the same from meter to meter, so cost shouldn't play a big role in your decision.

Choosing a blood glucose monitor is definitely based on personal preference. If you are a very active person, a smaller, compact monitor may be more important to you. Individuals with certain visual disabilities may require a larger display. Some monitors allow you to transfer the readings directly to your computer.

Insulin Pumps

Insulin pumps are small electronic devices that you wear on your belt or in your pocket. They have a small flexible tube with a fine needle on the end. The needle is inserted under the skin of your abdomen and taped in place. The needles and tubing set are changed every few days. A carefully measured, continuous flow of a rapid-acting insulin is released into the tissue.

The insulin pump is designed to deliver a continuous amount of insulin, 24 hours a day according to a programmed plan unique to each pump wearer. A small amount of insulin is constantly delivered, this is called the basal rate. This is the amount of insulin needed to keep the blood sugar in the target range between meals and overnight. As seen on Webmd.com

Non-Invasive Blood Glucose Monitors

Please see the FDA Glucose Monitor Site

and The FDA Site on Non-Invasive Glucose Monitors

The FDA has approved one "minimally invasive" meter and one "non-invasive" glucose meter. Neither of these should replace standard glucose testing.

MiniMed Continuous Glucose Monitoring System. The MiniMed system consists of a small plastic catheter (very small tube) inserted just under the skin. The catheter collects small amounts of liquid that is passed through a "biosensor" to measure the amount of glucose present. For more information about the MiniMed, use the link below.

Mimimed Continuous Glucose Monitoring System (CGMS) - FDA Report

Cygnus GlucoWatch Biographer. GlucoWatch is worn on the arm like a wristwatch. It pulls tiny amounts of fluid from the skin and measures the glucose in the fluid without puncturing the skin. The device requires 3 hours to warm up after it is put on. After this, it can provide up to 3 glucose measurements per hour for 12 hours. Unlike the MiniMed device, the GlucoWatch displays results that can be read by the wearer, although like the MiniMed device, these readings are not meant to be used as replacements for fingerstick-based tests. For more information about GlucoWatch, use the link below.

Cygnus GlucoWatch Automatic Glucose Biographer - FDA Report

Leading Glucose Monitor Manufacturers

The diabetes blood glucose monitoring industry is dominated by a handful of competitors, making the industry difficult at best for newcomers to penetrate. Roche Diagnostics was the overall market leader in 2002, with a 34% share of the blood glucose meter market, and a 35% share of the blood glucose testing strip market. LifeScan, a Johnson and Johnson company, was second, benefiting from sales of the ONE TOUCH Ultra introduced in 2001. The Ultra isapproved for alternative site testing and is providing stiff competition for Roche's Accu-Chek Compact, also approved for alternative site testing.Bayer and Abbott Laboratories' Medisense are lesser, but important players in this market.

Abbot Laboratories - Located in Abbott Park, Illinois acquired MedisenseŽ in 1996 and on April 6, 2004 completed the acquisition of TheraSense. The integration of the two companies will result in new products to help patients and caregivers better manage diabetes.

Bayer Corporation - Located in in Tarrytown, New York, manufacturers the AscensiaŽ line blood glucose monitors. The Ascensia^Ž family of self-testing products helps people with diabetes to successfully manage their disease both at home and on the go. Ascensia brand blood glucose monitors make testing easier and less painful with products that offer alternate site testing and require smaller blood samples.

Becton Dickinson & Co. - Located in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, has developed a new meter, the BD Logic. In spite of the small amount of blood this meter uses, it is intended for fingerstick tesing only. It is plasma-blood calibrated.

LifeScan Inc. - a Johnson & Johnson company headquartered in Milpitas, California, markets several different blood glucose meters in the United States.

Accu-Chek Glucose Monitors - The Roche Group - based in Basel, Switzerland, which merged with Boehringer Mannheim Corporation in 1997, manufactures the Accu-Chek Blood Glucose Monitor.

Diabetic News and Information Resource - This is a great resource we just found. This guy really knows his stuff. Please take a look at Rick Mendosa's diabetes information page above.

Diabetic Monitor Comparison Chart

Medicare Coverage for Diabetic Supplies

Useful Resources

Diabetes.org

Diabetes.com

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