The authors of the Standards wrote, “The field of diabetes care is rapidly changing as new research, technology, and treatments that can improve the health and well-being of people with diabetes continue to emerge.” The ADA, considered to be a mainstay in providing updates to diabetic guidelines and advocacy for appropriate treatment, has been providing yearly updates to these standards for over 3 decades, with the first update released in 1989. In fact, the authors wrote that “The ADA has long been a leader in producing guidelines that capture the most current state of the field.” This year, in addition to specific updates on CGM, the introduction to the standards tout that they have also moved to use more inclusive language that incorporates a person-centered focus.
A brief summary of some of the updates to the Standards that involve CGM includes a recommendation to offer any type of diabetes technology or device (including CGM) to any individual diagnosed with diabetes. In addition to that recommendation, the ADA emphasized to begin the use of CGM early, even upon first recognition and determination of diagnosis of type 1 diabetes (T1D). The purpose of the timely implementation is to facilitate and promote early achievement and successful continuation of glycemic goals set by the healthcare provider and the patient’s diabetic care management team.
The other essential element to the successful use of CGM technology is that the healthcare providers and management team, including pharmacists, should be—or should become—familiar with this technology. Because of the wide array of diabetic technology options, acquiring adequate knowledge for use and appropriate application of these devices for most practitioners can be daunting. For this reason, the ADA emphasized in the 2024 update that health professionals should acquire this knowledge. The Standards now includes discussion surrounding the need for knowledge and competency for interprofessional teams to manage diabetes care most effectively.
An addition to the Standards included an emphasis on the benefits of using intermittently scanned CGM (isCGM) in less intensively treated people with type 2 diabetes. The ADA reported that randomized, controlled trial data supporting the use of isCGM is increasing according to one of the studies exploring its use in adults with T1D, demonstrating a reduction in rates of hypoglycemia and meeting the primary endpoint. Another study conducted in adults with type 2 diabetes using insulin achieved a secondary endpoint of a reduction in hypoglycemia, confirming the impact that CGM can have in preventing those dangerous episodes of low blood glucose.
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