Smart warning of dangerous drop in blood sugar levels

A new medical device is revolutionising diabetes management in New Zealand and helping to ward off dangerous hypoglycaemic events by sending real-time glucose readings from someone with diabetes straight to a smart device.

A new medical device is revolutionising diabetes management in New Zealand and helping to ward off dangerous hypoglycaemic events by sending real-time glucose readings from someone with diabetes straight to a smart device.

The new Dexcom G5^® Mobile Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) System connects to a patient’s smart phone and incorporates a pioneering ‘Share’™ feature allowing as many as five people to receive a patient’s glucose readings and issue a warning if levels spike or drop too low.

It is also the first of its kind to give users freedom from confirmatory finger prick blood tests when making treatment decisions*. The added convenience and cost savings associated with no longer having to perform finger pricks to verify readings on the CGM will greatly enhance the appeal of this integrated diabetes management system.

Trish Snegirev, Diabetes division manager at the device’s distributors, New Zealand Medical and Scientific Ltd (NZMS) says the G5^® Mobile technology will make it easier to track blood glucose levels and warn of a pending hypoglycaemic event, where blood glucose drops to dangerous levels and may result in a loss of consciousness or even a debilitating seizure.

She explains: `Known as a hypo, a sudden and dramatic dive in blood glucose levels can be life-threatening. The impact of low blood sugar can go un-noticed until it’s too late, which is why continuous glucose monitoring and warning alerts are so important. In New Zealand most people with diabetes manually monitor blood glucose with as many as fifteen finger prick blood tests each day. This new technology allows patients to track glucose levels with readings automatically taken every five minutes.’

One of the first New Zealanders to use the new device is four-year-old Georgia Hall who has Type 1 diabetes. Continuous glucose monitoring provides all- important peace-of-mind for her parents, Simon and Gabrielle. 

Simon says: `We first started on the earlier model, the Dexcom G4™ CGM, late last year when our four-year old daughter Georgia started on her insulin pump.  It instantly felt like we had the complete picture of what was happening with Georgia’s blood glucose levels rather than individual readings you get with blood finger prick tests. 

'It also allows us to fine tune her insulin pump in a much more informed and accurate way – which is great for her diabetes control. It also gives us great reassurance in terms of monitoring overnight low blood sugars – which can be dangerous.   After having one you feel very naked if you have to go without it!’

`Having the new G5 technology that sends information to our phones is fantastic. Georgia has just started a new day-care and it’s very reassuring for us to able to track her blood glucose levels remotely so we can see how she’s doing during the day – especially while the day-care are in the learning phase of her Diabetes care. Knowing that you’ll receive an alarm if Georgia is too high or low gives us peace of mind to focus on other things. Not having to wake her up in the middle of the night to give her finger prick tests is a huge advantage too.’

Auckland competition athlete Hamish Yates has been using the Dexcom G5^® for the past few weeks. He says: ‘Despite understanding the concept of continuous glucose monitoring I was still surprised at the amount of data the G5 was able to constantly provide. I was alerted the moment my blood sugar went out of range, either high or low, and I had the ability to prevent going low, as the G5 would send an alert to my iPhone.’

‘The little arrows that told me the direction my blood sugar was heading and how fast it was doing so were such a benefit to my performance. It was enormously valuable to my sporting endeavours. I’m a cyclist, a runner, and I go to the gym.’

`The first year I did the Taupo Cycle Challenge I had around 40 minutes of stoppages for testing my blood sugar and eating accordingly. The next time I did it I had 20 minutes of stops. With the Dexcom, I don’t have to stop. One look at my iPhone, or at the Dexcom receiver, and I know what my blood sugar is and what it’s doing, and I can eat accordingly. All on the fly. I believe that this kind of technology is the future of management for people with type 1 diabetes. I was able to undertake activity almost the same as someone without diabetes would, and this was a huge psychological boost.’

The technology could also be used by patients with type 2 diabetes requiring continuous glucose monitoring as part of their management plan.

About Dexcom G5^® Mobile: The Dexcom G5^® Mobile CGM System features an exceptional performing glucose sensor while providing enhanced mobility and flexibility to view and share personal glucose data and trends. Data security and confidentiality are managed by using an encrypted Bluetooth low energy communication link and an authentication pairing process. The Dexcom G5^® Mobile comes with a 7-day sensor and offers customisable alerts and a built-in low glucose alarm to provide patients with advanced warning to help them avoid dangerous high and low glucose events. Data from the Dexcom G5^® Mobile can be integrated with DIASEND^®, a communications platform that transfers and integrates CGM data and provides retrospective reports that help patients and caregivers with overall diabetes management.

With the Dexcom G5^® Mobile CGM System, finger prick metres are needed to calibrate the CGM. The System can be used for guidance in making therapy and meal decisions. CGM is important because, in addition to providing the glucose level, it provides the direction and rate of glucose change with the push of a button and alerts users when glucose is too low or too high.

*If your glucose alerts and readings do not match your symptoms or expectations, you should obtain a finger prick. A minimum of two finger pricks a day is required for calibration. ^ For a list of compatible devices, visit www.dexcom.com/compatibility

ENDS

Further information: Trish Snegirev – 021 627 515 or Peter Boyes – 0275 540 500

References

1. Clarke SF and Foster JR. A history of blood glucose meters and their role in self monitoring of diabetes mellitus. Br J Biomed Sci. 2012;(3)2:83-93. 


2. Data and Statistics, World Health Organization Web site, Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets 


3. Hyperglycemia (High blood glucose). American Diabetes Association Web site.http://www.diabetes.org/living-with- 
diabetes/treatment-and-care/blood-glucose-control/hyperglycemia.html. Updated August 5, 2013. Accessed December 3, 2013. 


4. Hypoglycemia (Low blood glucose). American Diabetes Association Web site.http://www.diabetes.org/living-with- 
diabetes/treatment-and-care/blood-glucose-control/hypoglycemia-low-blood.html. Updated July 16, 2013. Accessed December 3, 2013. 


Canada Adds to Woes For Young Kiwis Planning Their Big OE

 

Young New Zealanders planning a Big OE are finding it continues to get more complicated to organise as Canada changes its working holiday visa regulations for Kiwi travellers. The move follows more restrictions in Britain on New Zealanders wishing to work

Young New Zealanders planning a Big OE are finding it continues to get more complicated to organise as Canada changes its working holiday visa regulations for Kiwi travellers. The move follows more restrictions in Britain on New Zealanders wishing to work there.

Citizens Immigration Canada (CIC) has just announced the 2016 quota for New Zealanders allowed into the country on a working holiday and changes to the International Experience Canada (IEC) application process mean more young Kiwis than ever are fighting for a place.

Working overseas is now such a tricky enterprise to organise that increasingly people are calling on expert services, says Vicki Kenny, founder of International Working Holidays, the specialist overseas employment agency.

She says: `The Canadian Working Holiday application process is now so competitive that receiving an invitation after 12 months on the waiting list still won't guarantee that the applicant will obtain a working holiday visa. We’ve produced an indepth guide for our clients on how to navigate the new Working Holiday Visa process, which not only makes applying, but ensures participants get their timing right, so that they have the visa for the summer or winter resort season in Canada.'

The strict regulations allocate a limited amount of working holiday visas every year to countries all around the globe. New Zealand quotas have been set at just 2,500 working holiday visas a year, while across the Tasman, Australia remains the only country to have a reciprocal no limits agreement with Canada.

Prior to the latest changes, New Zealand applicants lucky enough to pass the screening and registration process joined in a mad rushed for placements due to the CIC's first come, first serve policy.

Young New Zealanders planning to take their big OE in the UK are already finding it more difficult to get visas and jobs.

Vicki Kenny says: ` It used to be simple to get a UK visa, but these days if you make just one mistake the application will get sent back and you will have to reapply and pay another application fee. Since they don’t tell you what you have got wrong you might end up doing it all again and still have the application rejected. It’s a big risk if your flights are already booked and you get it wrong. A lot of kids choose bargain flights, which don’t allow refunds or date changes.

‘You really do need a specialist service these days. We’ve been doing this for so long, we know exactly what the immigration authorities are looking for. We fill out the form for our clients, which takes the stress out of it.’

Further information:

http://www.iwh.co.nz

A SIDEWAYS GLANCE MIGHT HELP WOMEN AVOID PAIN AND IMPROVE LIFE SAY NEW ZEALAND CHIROPRACTORS

Paying attention to their side profile could help women avoid neck and back problems and improve their quality of life in many other areas according to the New Zealand Chiropractors’ Association (NZCA).

Paying attention to their side profile could help women avoid neck and back problems and improve their quality of life in many other areas according to the New Zealand Chiropractors’ Association (NZCA).

New research published by the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) suggests that women whose heads lean forward are most likely to be currently suffering from back or neck pain (58%), followed by those with an excessively arched lower back (56%)¹. Whether you stand like a spoon or a leaning tower, a bridge or a flat back may indicate problems ahead.

Women whose heads lean forward are also the most likely to suffer from back or neck pain 'every day' (29%). Those with a flat back were the least likely to have experienced pain, with 21 per cent having remained pain-free.*

According to Dr. Hayden Thomas, chiropractor and spokesperson for the New Zealand Chiropractors’ Association: `Whether a woman has an apple or hourglass figure appears to be less important than their side profiles as far as back and neck pain triggers go. Just over 25 per cent of women told the British researchers that a bout of back or neck pain can last for one to three days at a time, so we do need to do all we can to prevent problems. The good news is that making changes to your posture doesn’t call for extreme dieting or exercise programmes and can be managed really simply with the help of your family chiropractor.’

Posture has also been shown to have an effect on many other areas of health and wellbeing beyond symptoms of pain such as mood, energy levels, self-confidence, range of motion, and change in the release of stress hormones^2,3. Poor posture can also negatively impact on job prospects, decision making, work productivity and other areas of life^2-4.

The BCA research reveals that the average age women start to suffer from back or neck pain is 34 years meaning that your twenties are a key time for poor posture to really take hold and cause issues. The NZCA is concerned that women especially are suffering unnecessarily, with poor posture now appearing to have taken over from large breasts and overall weight issues as the most common cause of spinal problems.

The BCA researchers asked women which side-shape they are, with four broad categories of altered posture compared to the ideal. 

• Spoon - flat back, rounded shoulders

• Leaning tower - head leans forward

• Bridge - arched back

• Flat-pack - flat back

Hayden Thomas explains: `The aim in establishing good posture is to give you a neutral side-on appearance when standing in a relaxed stance with your ears, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles in line. Imagine you have a plumb line hanging straight from your ears to ankles - with everything in the middle sitting on the same line.  One way to do this is to try standing in a relaxed way and then gently contract the abdominal muscles.’ While ideal seated or standing posture is extremely important, Dr Thomas adds that ‘the best posture is always the next posture’, or in other words, try to keep moving as the joints and muscles of the body require this just like they require an essential nutrient.

The NZCA is promoting a programme of simple stretches and exercises, designed to improve posture and help prevent back pain by enhancing balance, strength and flexibility of the spine. Straighten Up New Zealand is an easy and enjoyable every day programme to improve spinal health and posture.

Consisting of a set of simple exercises and taking just three minutes to complete, Straighten Up New Zealand will help improve posture, stabilise core muscle groups, enhance health and prevent spinal disability. Think of it as daily spinal hygiene just like brushing your teeth benefits oral health. A regular check-up by your family chiropractor will also help keep your spinal movement, nervous system function and posture at its best.

*Out of all women with an arched back, a flat back, rounded shoulders, or head leaning forwards. Research carried out on behalf of the BCA.