Low-Glucose Alerts Beneficial for Insulin-Treated Drivers With Diabetes
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, March 21, 2025 -- For individuals with type 1 diabetes, low-glucose alerts improve the time below range for drivers and reduce the incidence of low glucose while driving, according to a study published in the April issue of Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice.
Ryutaro Maeda, from Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan, and colleagues examined the effectiveness of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) with low-glucose alerts for preventing hypoglycemia in insulin-treated drivers with diabetes in a single-center, open-label, randomized crossover study. Thirty insulin-treated participants with diabetes who drove cars at least three times per week were enrolled and underwent two four-week periods: an alert period using CGM with active low-glucose alerts and a no-alert period using blinded CGM without low-glucose alerts.
Twenty-seven participants completed the analysis. The researchers found that among all participants, the time below range (<3.9 mmol/L) did not differ between the alert and no-alert periods, but among participants with type 1 diabetes, the time below range decreased significantly during the alert period (treatment difference, −4.4). Compared with the no-alert period, the incidence of low-glucose when driving was significantly lower during the alert period (19 versus 33 percent).
"CGM with low-glucose alerts has shown potential to reduce the risk of hypoglycemia for insulin-treated drivers," the authors write. "These systems are expected to make driving safer for people with diabetes."
Several authors disclosed ties to Abbott Diabetes Care, which funded the study.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted March 2025
Read this next
American Diabetes Association, June 20-23
The annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association was held this year from June 20 to 23 in Chicago, drawing more than 15,000 participants, including clinicians...
Disparities Seen in Continuous Glucose Monitor Rx by Language Preference
FRIDAY, June 27, 2025 -- For patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), disparities in continuous glucose monitor (CGM) prescriptions are seen by language preference, with less access...
Risk for Death, MACE Increased for Patients With Adult-Onset Type 1 Diabetes
FRIDAY, May 16, 2025 -- Adult-onset type 1 diabetes (T1D) is associated with an increased risk for death and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), according to a study...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.