Posted by Therese B. on March 02, 1999 at 15:01:25:
In Reply to: MiniMed Continuous Glucose Monitoring System Recommended by FDA Panel posted by KenC on February 28, 1999 at 20:35:44:
"The CGMS is intended to be used for a three-day period, under prescription by a doctor. When in use, the CGMS measures glucose in the interstitial fluid every five minutes and stores that data for analysis by a personal computer after the three-day period. No information is provided to the patient during use. The patient must perform regular finger-stick blood tests and enter these blood sugar values into the CGMS. The blood sugar values are used to ensure that the implanted sensor is operating within specifications and to calibrate the sensor readings to blood sugar equivalents after use."
The crudeness of this new device gives me the impression that the newly approved use is still part of trials! Those who use it are giving to Minimed much more that they will be receiving in terms of improved quality of life, that's for sure. They could have at least been generous enough to provide a low glucose alarm on the first generation, even if it is 10 minutes behind.
It reminds me of the old urine glucose tests, giving feedback after the fact.
Give us islets!
Therese