Revolutionary New Category of Diabetes Self-Monitoring Systems Recognized in 2018 Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines

• INNOVATIVE SYSTEM FROM ABBOTT EMPOWERS DIABETES PATIENTS AND REDUCES THE NEED FOR ROUTINE FINGER PRICKS¹

MISSISSAUGA, ON, May 3, 2018 /CNW/ - An innovative new category in self-monitoring has been added to the 2018 Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines for people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. According to Diabetes Canada, self-management of diabetes remains the cornerstone of diabetes care,² making the addition of the "flash glucose monitoring" class an important tool to help improve patient outcomes. This new class of monitoring technology automatically measures, captures and stores glucose level data continuously so that patients and their doctors can see patterns over time and make adjustments to lifestyle, diet or treatment, when needed. The guidelines are published every five years by the top diabetes researchers and clinicians in Canada and they provide healthcare providers with the most up-to-date information on caring for people with diabetes.

Flash glucose monitoring has the unique ability to measure glucose every minute in interstitial fluid through a small filament that is inserted just under the skin and held in place with a small adhesive pad. Glucose levels are displayed on demand when the sensor is waved over, or "flashed", with a hand-held scanner. The FreeStyle Libre system, the first-ever flash glucose monitoring system, developed by Abbott, was authorized for sale by Health Canada in 2017 and is covered by most private health insurance companies.

"Flash glucose monitoring is the next chapter in the management of diabetes," says Tina Kader, M.D., endocrinologist, at the Jewish General Hospital and LMC Glen in Montreal. "Not only does it empower patients in their daily self-management, it also provides healthcare professionals with meaningful insights into their glucose control, which can lead to changes in their insulin dosing. Many of my patients see this as life changing and we are all very excited as we enter into this new era of diabetes management."  

FREESTYLE LIBRE FLASH GLUCOSE MONITORING SYSTEM: LANCET STUDY SHOWS REDUCED TIME IN HYPOGLYCEMIA

According to a recent study, more than 50,000 people with diabetes using the flash glucose monitoring technology checked their glucose levels an average of 16 times a day.³ Two additional published clinical trials^4,5 show that people who scan more frequently spend less time in hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) while having improved average glucose levels, demonstrating improved glucose control overall.

Results from the IMPACT clinical trial, published in The Lancet in September 2016,² showed that people with diabetes using the FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring system spent 38 per cent less time in hypoglycemia as compared to people who managed their glucose with traditional self-monitoring of blood glucose systems (SMBG).

The FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring system uses a small sensor to measure real-time glucose results, and a reader to display the eight-hour history and a trend arrow to indicate the direction that the glucose is heading. The reader holds up to 90 days of data, providing a historical snapshot of glucose levels over time. Users of the flash glucose monitoring system can also share their comprehensive readings digitally with their doctors and use the information to better manage their lifestyles.⁶

THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-MANAGEMENT

The complexity of diabetes and its impact on multiple aspects of one's life requires people with diabetes to make frequent and ongoing self-management decisions,⁷ and self-monitoring of glucose levels is an important part of this care.² According to the 2018 Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines, using traditional self-monitoring devices or new flash glucose monitoring is a useful addition to other measures of glucose levels.⁸ This broader recommendation is in line with the Diabetes Charter of Canada⁹ which states that Canadians living with diabetes have the right to timely access to devices and the responsibility to self-manage to the best of their abilities.

Keeping glucose levels in a healthy range can be challenging, and being able to check your glucose level at a given time can be a very important tool for people living with diabetes. High glucose levels can result when food, activity and medications are not balanced. And very low glucose levels can make you confused and disoriented, lose consciousness or have a seizure.¹⁰

"We celebrate the Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines Committee in their recognition of the value of flash glucose monitoring technology and its ability to empower people with diabetes to make more informed decisions about their health," said Badia Boudaiffa, general manager, Diabetes Care, Abbott in Canada. "With the FreeStyle Libre system, Canadians living with type 1 and 2 diabetes can now learn how foods affect their body, see trends, and predict lows and highs. This allows them to make healthy lifestyle interventions."

About Abbott:
At Abbott, we're committed to helping people live their best possible life through the power of health. For more than 125 years, we've brought new products and technologies to the world -- in nutrition, diagnostics, medical devices and branded generic pharmaceuticals -- that create more possibilities for more people at all stages of life. Today, 99,000 of us are working to help people live not just longer, but better, in the more than 150 countries we serve.

Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @FreeStyleDiabet, @AbbottNews and @AbbottGlobal.

^1	A finger stick test using a blood glucose meter is required during times of rapidly changing glucose levels when interstitial fluid glucose levels may not accurately reflect blood glucose levels or if hypoglycaemia or impending hypoglycaemia is reported by the system or when symptoms do not match the system readings
^2	Diabetes Canada. Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose in People with Type 2 Diabetes: Canadian Diabetes Association Briefing Document for Healthcare Providers. Available at: http://www.diabetes.ca/getmedia/ab93def3-6da4-4b1e-92af-8e026635de11/self-monitoring-of-blood-glucose-briefing-english.pdf.aspx. Accessed April 2018.
^3	Dunn, T., Xu, Y., & Hayter, G. (2017).  Evidence of a Strong Association Between Frequency of Flash Glucose Monitoring and Glucose Control Measures During Real-World Usage.  Diabetes Technology and Therapeutics, 19(S1).
^4	Bolinder J, Antuna R, Geelhoed-Duijvestijn P, Kroger J, Weitgasser R. Novel glucose-sensing technology and hypoglycaemia in type 1 diabetes: a multicentre, non-masked, randomised controlled trial [published online September 12, 2016]. Lancet. 2016.
^5	Haak T, Hanaire H, Ajjan R et al. Flash glucose-sensing technology as a replacement for blood glucose monitoring for the management of insulin-treated type 2 diabetes: a multicenter, open-label randomized controlled trial. Diabetes Ther. 2017; 8: 55-73.
^6	Mazze R, Akkerman B, Mettner J. An overview of continuous glucose monitoring and the ambulatory glucose profile. Minn Med. 2011; 95(8):40-4
^7	Sherifali D, et al. 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines. Self-Management Education and Support. Can J Diabetes 2018;42:S36–S41.
^8	Berard LD, et al. 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines. Monitoring Glycemic Control. Can J Diabetes 2018;42:S47–S53.
^9	Diabetes Canada. Diabetes Charter for Canada. Available at: http://www.diabetes.ca/diabetes-and-you/know-your-rights/support-the-diabetes-charter-for-canada/diabetes-charter-for-canada Accessed April 2018.
^10	Diabetes Canada. Managing your blood sugar. Available at: http://www.diabetes.ca/diabetes-and-you/healthy-living-resources/blood-glucose-insulin/managing-your-blood-sugar. Accessed April 2018.

Indications for Use
The FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System is indicated for measuring interstitial fluid glucose levels in adults aged 18 years and older who have at least 2 years of experience in self-managing their diabetes. It is designed to replace blood glucose testing in the self-management of diabetes with the exceptions listed below. Treatment decisions should not be based on real-time Sensor glucose readings alone and instead should be based on the combination of the Sensor glucose reading, the Glucose Trend Arrow, and the Glucose Graph. Under the following circumstances, use a blood glucose meter to check the current glucose readings from the FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System Sensor:

• During times of rapidly changing glucose levels, interstitial glucose levels as measured by the Sensor and reported as current may not accurately reflect blood glucose levels. When glucose levels are falling rapidly, glucose readings from the Sensor may be higher than blood glucose levels. Conversely when glucose levels are rising rapidly, glucose readings from the Sensor may be lower than blood glucose levels.
• In order to confirm hypoglycaemia or impending hypoglycaemia as reported by the System's Glucose Messages.
• If symptoms do not match the FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System reading. Do not ignore symptoms that may be due to low blood glucose or high blood glucose.

Always read and follow the label.

SOURCE Abbott Diabetes Care Canada

Anne Coffey, GCI Canada [phone]; Jennifer Heth, Abbott [phone]