Diabetes patient measuring glucose level blood test using ultra

Last week, Abbott Diabetes Care received European Union approval for a new blood glucose monitoring device for diabetes patients: FreeStyle Libre. The wearable sensor eliminates the need for pricking the patient’s finger to get a drop of blood. Instead, a tiny filament inserted below the skin of the upper arm provides continual measurements, once every minute. Simply holding a scanner near the sensor provides a current reading, as well as a wireless download of up to 8 hours of prior data. This information can be used by health professionals to analyze blood sugar level trends within the patient’s daily activities.

The sensor can be worn for up to 14 days without having to remove it. It also does not require any finger pricks to calibrate it during this period. The sensor unit is water-resistant and disposable. The FreeStyle Libre will be available soon France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and United Kingdom.

There are more than 380 million people worldwide with diabetes, and a system such as this one can make monitoring their glucose levels more convenient, more reliable, and more accurate.