Clinical and economic benefits of continuous blood glucose monitoring devices

The main intervention to reduce the macro-and microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus (DM) remains to achieve better long-term glycemic control. We have discussed the clinical and economic advantages of using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices for type 1 DM and type 2 DM (T1DM and T2DM) based on data from relevant studies in the literature. Our findings show that using these modalities is associated with remarkable outcomes, including reduced HbA1c levels and enhanced glycemic control among patients with T1DM and T2DM. This can enhance the quality of care and life for diabetic patients and intervene against the development of serious complications and hypoglycemia-related adverse events. The cost of routinely using these devices might seem relatively high. However, the estimated cost benefits are usually higher as they can significantly reduce hospitalization rates due to hypoglycemia and the frequency of diabetic therapy malpractices, which are frequently encountered. However, not many studies have reported these outcomes, indicating the need to conduct future relevant studies.