Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM): Who Should Use It?

CGM devices measure glucose in interstitial fluid every few minutes through a small sensor worn on the arm or abdomen, sending data to a phone or reader. Sensors last about 7–15 days.

Benefits

A full 24-hour picture, trend arrows, alarms for highs and lows (especially valuable at night), fewer finger pricks and remote data sharing with family or physicians.

Who Benefits Most?

People with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes on multiple daily insulin injections or pumps, frequent or unrecognised hypoglycaemia, diabetes in pregnancy, and situations where HbA1c is unreliable.

Key Metrics

• Time in range (70–180 mg/dL): target above 70% for most people
• Time below range: below 4%
• Time above range, glucose variability and the Ambulatory Glucose Profile (AGP)

Confirm with a finger-stick reading when symptoms don't match the sensor.