The continuous blood glucose monitor is a bit of new technology that may someday revolutionize the treatment and monitoring of those with blood glucose abnormalities brought about by the metabolic diseases known as diabetes. For anyone with diabetes the key to keeping the disease under control and the effects and symptoms in check is to maintain a blood glucose level that is as close to normal as possible, for as much of the time as possible. In some diabetics maintaining proper blood glucose levels may be no trouble at all, and in others blood glucose levels can fluctuate very rapidly. It is in those with rapid swings in blood glucose levels, or particularly hard to maintain blood glucose levels that the continuous blood glucose monitor really comes into its own.

The continuous blood glucose monitor of today, such as the glucowatch, is usually worn on the wrist like a wristwatch. The monitor checks blood glucose levels by administering a painless electric shock which draws interstitial fluid from the pores and this is read by the monitor to obtain a blood glucose level. This testing can be done with no pain or other side effects as often as every 20 minutes and the readings are recorded by the monitor, which can also be set to alarm if readings are too high or too low. With this kind of continuous sampling tracking and trending changes in blood glucose levels throughout the day is relatively easy.

While the present generation continuous blood glucose monitor cannot replace the finger stick blood glucose reading for spot on accuracy and dependability and should not be relied on as the only source of blood glucose level data, companies such as Abbott and Medtronic are diligently working on improving the technology. One day soon, the diabetic will be able to simply strap on their continuous blood glucose monitor and never have to suffer through another irritating finger stick to keep track of their blood glucose level.