Evolution of blood glucose self-monitoring technology

Abstract

In 1838 G. Rees, a doctor from London (Guy's Hospital), for the first time isolated excess sugar from the blood serum of a patient with diabetes mellitus. Diagnosis of diabetes mellitus gradually developed. The next step was the understanding that regular monitoring of glucose levels by the patient himself is an integral part of diabetes mellitus therapy. The starting point of the technology for self-monitoring of diabetes mellitus was the determination of the sugar content in urine using chemical reactions. The method had no great clinical significance, it only indicated a progressive disease. The first Dextrostix blood glucose test strip (Ames-Mile's laboratories) was introduced in 1964. In 1970, the first automated blood glucose analysis system, the Ames Reflectance Meter (ARM), was created. Over time, the technology has been improved, accuracy, visibility, comfort, and an individual approach to glucometry have been formed. A new chapter was the development of remote technologies and the possibility of remote monitoring. More advanced data processing is now available in tabular and graphical form, with the calculation of 7-, 14-, 30-, and 90-day average glycemic values. A promising direction is the introduction of artificial intelligence in the management of diabetes mellitus.

Keywords

• diabetes mellitus
• blood glucose self-monitoring
• glucometer
• telemedicine