DexCom, a diabetic monitor company, has teamed up with Apple to provide glucose tracking capabilities to the Apple Watch that will make its debut in April this year. Apple Watch wearers will be able to monitor their glucose levels.
The wearable will incorporate a continuous glucose monitoring app, or CGM, that will keep a tab on a user’s glucose levels on a daily basis. The app will show Apple Watch wearers their glucose levels in the form of a graph. It uses a sensor embedded under the skin surface that measures glucose levels every five minutes. The app then reads the collected blood glucose data and make the graph on the wearable smartwatch device.
Medical products maker DexCom offers users two separate apps. One app allows users to have a look at their blood sugar readings, while the other app enables users to share their data with others. At Consumers Electronics Show this year, DexCom disclosed its intentions to incorporate glucose monitoring into Apple Watch.
However, certain health devices as well as apps need the approval of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The federal agency of the US Department of Health and Services considered the CGM sensor a Class III medical devices that need to go through the regulatory approval process.
But thanks to the recent changes in FDA guidelines, the developers only need to register the glucose monitoring app with the FDA.
Diabetes refers to a condition in which a person’s blood glucose levels are extremely high. In other words, the body loses its ability to turn glucose into energy. According to MedlinePlus, too much glucose in the blood can damage nerves, kidneys and eyes. Moreover, diabetes can lead to stroke and heart disease.
