Advantages and Disadvantages of Realtime Continuous Glucose Monitoring in People with Type 2 Diabetes

Previous research has shown that realtime continuous glucose monitoring (RT-CGM) is a useful clinical and lifestyle aid for people with type 1 diabetes. However, its usefulness and efficacy for people with type 2 diabetes is less known and potentially controversial, given the continuing controversy over the efficacy of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) in this cohort. This article reviews the extant literature on RT-CGM for people with type 2 diabetes, and enumerates several of the advantages and disadvantages of this technology from the perspective of providers and patients. Even patients with type 2 diabetes who are not using insulin and/or are relatively well controlled on oral medications have been shown to spend a significant amount of time each day in hyperglycemia. Additional tools beyond SMBG are necessary to enable providers and patients to clearly grasp and manage the frequency and amplitude of glucose excursions in people with type 2 diabetes who are not on insulin. While SMBG is useful for measuring blood glucose levels, patients do not regularly check and SMBG does not enable many to adequately manage blood glucose levels or capture marked and sustained hyperglycemic excursions. RT-CGM systems, valuable diabetes management tools for people with type 1 diabetes or insulin-treated type 2 diabetes, have recently been used in type 2 diabetes patients. The extant studies, although few, have demonstrated that the use of RT-CGM has empowered people with type 2 diabetes to improve their glycemic control by making and sustaining healthy lifestyle choices.