Diabetes required, until recently, its patients to spend the day monitoring their blood sugar levels, pricking their fingers to measure their indexes with a drop of blood. Technology has come to alleviate the situation and offer them a better quality of life. The Ministry of Health has already provided more than 440,000 electronic glucose measuring sensors so far this year. The devices are given free of charge to those who meet certain clinical criteria, and are then followed up by primary care.
This means that the regional government has invested 20 million euros in these systems this year. But users who received them were freed from the heavy burden of punctures and can now monitor their blood sugar levels from their mobile phones.
In addition, it has been proven that the use of these devices, in addition to allowing more comfortable insulin regulation, also reduces emergency room visits and hospitalizations due to chronic complications.
The devices allow the electronic measurement of the blood sugar levels of diabetic patients, and automatically transfer the results to the doctors responsible for monitoring them. The devices are offered to people affected by this endocrine disease, which is the one with the highest incidence in the population, when certain clinical criteria are met.
These devices began to be delivered to hospitals in 2020, and only for people suffering from type 1 diabetes and who are insulin dependent. Last year, it was also administered to patients with type 2 diabetes, through health centers.
They work like this: a small filament is inserted into the skin subcutaneously and constantly monitors the interstitial glucose level, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The data obtained in this way can also be viewed on the beneficiary’s mobile phone, computer or smart watch.
With this information, doctors can adjust the medication more precisely, making it ideal for those undergoing very complex treatment, requiring multiple doses and at least six daily finger prick measurements. Additionally, these devices can be programmed to sound an alarm for high or low glucose levels. This system allows insulin to be regulated more comfortably and results in fewer emergency room visits and hospitalizations for chronic complications.
However, the Minister of Health, Fátima Matute, recalled that it is important to adopt “a healthy lifestyle, which can prevent or delay the development of diabetes in 80 percent of cases.” He therefore advises the population to eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, reduce their consumption of fats, avoid sugary drinks, exercise regularly, maintain an adequate weight and not smoke. “And I also emphasize the importance of healthy people over 40 having check-ups at their health center every four years.”
