Making the right decisions about diabetes can be a matter of life and death
New technology is helping people with diabetes to monitor their blood glucose levels and take account of their physical activity and food intake to avoid making their diabetes worse. Here we look at the digital aids that are in use today and what may come in the future.
It is very important for people with diabetes to monitor their blood glucose levels. New insulin pumps automatically take this into account every five minutes.
Presentation by professor Eirik Årsand at UiT The Arctic University of Norway and the Norwegian Centre for E-health Research.
Årsand talks about new technological treatments for type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Today's users use modern technology such as sensors, insulin pumps and apps to change lifestyle habits and manage self-medication. Technology is becoming increasingly user-friendly and accurate, as well as providing closer follow-up. Machine learning is also emerging. At the same time, there are challenges with privacy and lack of documentation. The data collected by apps and sensors is very useful for the individual and can also form the basis for follow-up with healthcare professionals.
The technologies used in the field of diabetes are a “harbinger” of things to come for other diseases and health monitoring in general. For example, some athletes have started to use continuous glucose monitors as part of their training regimen, but the technology costs a lot. It's not a given that those who most need the technology can afford to buy it.
Recording
You can download the podcast to your mobile on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Podbean. Search for "Norwegian Centre for E-health Research".