Why Taking Care Of Diabetes Has Become Easier Over The Years

Just over a century ago, a diagnosis of diabetes was considered deadly, with patients succumbing within a few weeks or months. This is because there were no known treatments to control blood sugar levels. In diabetics, blood sugar levels rise as the body cannot produce enough insulin or cannot utilize it efficiently. When levels of blood sugar remain high, it causes organ damage over time, which used to be fatal. Since the 1920s and 30s researchers began to find ways to administer insulin, but it wasn’t until the late 1970s that human-based insulin treatments were created. While that was groundbreaking at the time, diabetes care remained challenging, with patients in the 1980s and 90s having to follow rigid schedules, including the use of fingerstick blood glucose meters and shots. 

Living with diabetes was incredibly tough, but medical and technological advances in recent decades have made it easier for people with diabetes to live more carefree and normal lives today. We’ll take a closer look at some notable changes that have made this possible. 

Greater Diabetes Awareness

With decades of research and clinical studies, we have a better understanding of diabetes than ever before. There is also greater public awareness about the causes and risk factors for diabetes and how the condition can be managed with lifestyle interventions. Most patients understand that diabetes care is not just about limiting sugar intake and that dietary interventions include focusing on low glycemic foods, balanced nutrition, and regular meals. 

The importance of physical activity and regular exercise in blood sugar management is also more widely recognized today. In addition to diet and exercise, most patients also appreciate the importance of lifestyle changes including regular blood sugar monitoring, adequate sleep, stress reduction, and adherence to medication. 

Of course, a large part of what has made adherence to treatment guidelines and management of diabetes easier is the development of diabetes medications and technology. 

Advances In Diabetes Treatments

Fast Acting Insulin

In the past, diabetes patients had severe restrictions on meals and schedules, as insulin would need to be administer according to a meal plan half an hour before the meal. With faster acting insulin, diabetics have a lot more flexibility in terms of what they choose to eat and can also correct blood sugar levels much more efficiently. Meals and snacks no longer need to be scheduled meticulously as in the past, making it significantly easier to cope with the condition today.  

New Diabetes Medications

In recent years, there have also been advances in the development of diabetes medications that can help to lower the risk of complications that can affect the heart and kidneys. Some such medications include sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. Doctors may also prescribe these medications to treat blood sugar levels that are difficult to manage and, in some patients, these medications may lower the need for insulin. 

Treating Hypoglycemia

The risk of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar is not as high as it used to be thanks to a number of advances in diabetes medical technology, but it remains a concern for patients taking insulin as severe low blood sugar levels can be life threatening. In the past, emergencies caused by severe low blood sugar could only be treated with unwieldly glucagon injections, involving multiple steps that could leave most patients and care givers confused. Today, there are much simpler treatments to deal with such situations, including the use of a glucagon powder that can be inhaled and an injectable glucagon variety that doesn’t require any mixing, complicated steps, or refrigeration before use. 

Advances In Diabetes Technology

Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs)

Blood sugar or glucose management is the key to living a healthy life with diabetes, but levels were hard to monitor in the past with fingerstick blood glucose monitors. Over the past decade, Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) have become widely available and even include a variety of CHM systems that can help to closely monitor blood sugar levels. With this technology, data is easier to track, monitor, and interpret, and also provide real time warnings when levels are out of control. 

For patients, CGMs have been transformational, allowing for greater freedom in everyday life. Instead of testing with fingersticks just four to six times a day, these devices can record 288 readings a day. With such intense monitoring and alerts, blood sugar levels have become much easier to control. Doctors can also use this data to modify treatment plans to better manage the condition and lower the risk of diabetes complications. 

Smarter And Smaller Insulin Pumps

The earliest insulin pumps were the size of a microwave oven and could only be used in clinical settings to treat Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA). By the late 1970s and early 1980s, the first wearable insulin pumps became available, but they were still quite large and clunky, popularly referred to as ‘blue brick’. Nevertheless, they revolutionized diabetes treatment at the time. With technological innovations since then, insulin pumps today are much smaller and sleeker, even featuring touch screens and smart tools. Modern insulin pumps can communicate with CGMs, informing the patient about suggested insulin dosage. These smart devices can even calculate carb intake, save and recommend insulin dosage following your favorite meal, and include multiple basal settings, dependent on your activities for the day. 

The use of pumps has also become less stigmatized thanks to increased public awareness and innovations in design, which include tubeless pumps, clips, belts, and specially designed pouches. 

Artificial Pancreas

This may sound futuristic, but it is an emerging treatment option that will becoming increasingly accessible to patients. The device is referred to as a ‘closed-loop system’ or ‘artificial pancreas’, as it pairs an external pump with a CGM in a single system. This allows it to constantly monitor blood glucose levels and also deliver insulin automatically when needed. The smart device can precisely calculate and adjust dosages based on readings, with the automatic delivery of insulin eliminating the need for the patient to check readings or respond to alerts or even worry about the process. Studies have already shown that artificial pancreas can be a safe and effective treatment option that will make life much easier for diabetes patients. As this is an emerging technology, we can expect even more advances and improvements in the years to come. 

There can be no denying the difficulty of living with diabetes, but increased awareness and medical advances have helped transform the outlook for patients, so that they can continue to live healthy and fulfilling lives. 

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