Modern Technologies for Glycemic Monitoring in Patients With Diabetes as a Tool for Reducing Hypoglycemia and Its Complications – Clinical and Social Implications

Diabetes is one of the most serious health problems of modern times. One of its most dangerous complications is hypoglycemia, defined in most cases as a drop in blood glucose concentration below 70 mg/dl. Recurrent hypoglycemia is associated with a significant increase in patient mortality due to both injuries and cardiovascular and neurological complications. The fear of hypoglycemia alone sometimes paralyzes patients' daily lives. Technological advances have made it possible to replace flawed traditional methods of self-monitoring of blood glucose with systems that enable continuous glucose monitoring, which significantly reduce the frequency and duration of hypoglycemia.The latest methods not only allow for round-the-clock blood glucose monitoring, but also warn the patient of the risk of hypoglycemia based on continuous assessment of blood glucose trends, automatic modification of the insulin dose by the device based on current results, and remote monitoring of the patient by a doctor. The use of modern methods brings long-term socioeconomic benefits in the form of a reduction in the number of severe hypoglycemia episodes and, consequently, hospitalizations and their complications. In addition, CGM systems increase patients' sense of security and control over their disease. However, the use of the latest technological advances also presents challenges for patients in terms of their ability to use new technologies, as well as social and economic constraints that hinder the implementation of the latest treatment methods.