Continuous Glucose Monitoring On The Apple Watch
Hi! I’m Harley, and I’m a type 1 diabetic.
Type 1 diabetes is a chronic auto-immune disease with no conclusive known cause. The disease causes the body’s immune system to attack and destroy the insulin-creating cells in your pancreas .
Now, that’s not great, because it turns out insulin is fairly important for the day-to-day functioning of the human body. It’s used by the body to allow muscles, fat, and the liver to absorb glucose out of the bloodstream. Without it, glucose remains in your bloodstream until your blood turns into strawberry Kool-Aid and you die.
Type 1 diabetics like myself make up between 5 and 10% of all diabetics , and the disease is managed by effectively becoming a walking, talking pancreas we constantly measure our blood glucose levels, calculate the number of grams of carbohydrate in any food or drink we consume, identify the glycemic index of different parts of a meal, and make thousands of calculations per day regarding our activity, future plans, stress levels, caffeine levels, body temperature, injection site scar tissue, amount of sleep, and current insulin resistance .
Another way to think about the effects of both hypo and hyper glycemia is the timescale of the impact they have on the human body.
If I was an uninsured citizen living in the US, I’d be paying roughly $1,500 per month for my NovoRapid insulin that I use multiple times daily to stay alive.
Keep that fact front of mind.
Can The Apple Watch Series 8 Monitor Blood Sugar
The Cupertino firm launched the Apple Watch Series 8 during a press event in September 2022. This time around, the company barely made any changes to the watch. This applies to both its hardware and software. The Apple Watch Series 8 is almost identical to the 2021 Series 7. Of course, you get some new offerings such as car crash detection, a body temperature monitor, and Bluetooth 5.3. Apart from that, though, you likely wont be able to tell the difference between the two models. 2022 truly was a boring year for main Apple Watch . If you plan to buy an Apple Watch Series 8, you must be wondering does it support measuring or monitoring blood sugar? Heres everything you need to know about this particular matter.
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Apple Watch Series 7 Blood Glucose Monitoring To Be Present Through A Non
The fresh report from ETNews talks about both the Galaxy Watch 4 and Apple Watch Series 7 getting blood glucose, suggesting that both devices will have one thing in common. In addition to blood glucose monitoring, we might also get to see blood oxygen monitoring on the Apple Watch Series 7, a feature that debuted on the Apple Watch Series 6. Its not clear how the blood glucose monitoring feature will end up on Samsungs flagship smartwatch. Still, on Apples upcoming wearable, the report mentions your blood glucose can be measured through an optical sensor.
Blood glucose monitoring is also known as blood sugar monitoring and is measured for patients who have diabetes. Through other means, blood glucose measurement requires a drop of blood in a blood sugar meter to monitor the results. Any major increase or decrease in blood glucose can suggest that the patient has a health problem and that a diet change might remedy the problem.
While its exciting to see a new feature end up on the Apple Watch Series 7, consumers and health agencies biggest concern will be its accuracy. The blood oxygen monitor, or oximeter on the Apple Watch Series 6, didnt require FDA approval as Apple markets the feature as a wellness one. This means that its not intended for medical use, which is why a multitude of tests were showing erratic readings.
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Apple Working On Built
Currently, CGM relies on a separate device, but one of the most persistent of Apple Watch reports is that Apple is working on a way to integrate this functionality into the watch itself.
Specifically, the company is said to be working on a way to do this non-invasively that is, without the need to puncture the skin. This has been described as the holy grail for diabetics.
Apple is reported to have been working on this since 2012. From a 2017 report:
Such an initiative was first imagined by Steve Jobs and Apple has been working on it for five years. Jobs imagined the solution being integrated into a wearable device, such as the Apple Watch
The report, citing three people familiar with the matter, explains that Apple has hired a small team of biomedical engineers to work on the initiative. The team is said to be based out of an unmarked, nondescript office in Palo Alto, California.
The initiative sees Apple working on developing sensors that can constantly monitor blood sugar levels to better treat diabetes. While specific timeline information is unclear, the company is reportedly far enough along in it testing that it has been conducting feasibility trials.
If youre wondering why we still havent seen this come to market a decade later, thats because this stuff is hard really hard.
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The Apple Watch On A Path To Become The Ubiquitous Health Watch
They started with an ECG sensor for tracking the heart rate, blood oxygen monitor, and now the Apple Watch Series 7 is rumored to have blood glucose monitoring. This feature will be highly beneficial to diabetics since it will alert them when their blood sugar levels drop to levels that might be dangerous.
According to estimations by the American Diabetes Association, more than 10% of Americas population has diabetes, and for those who are undiagnosed are over 26 million. The watch will use a non-invasive optical sensor to monitor blood sugar levels. The sensor monitors through the skin, and therefore without the need for finger pricking.
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Apple Watch Series 7 Rumored To Feature Blood Glucose Monitoring
The Apple Watch Series 7 will reportedly feature blood glucose monitoring via an optical sensor, according to ETNews.
The report, which mainly focuses on the blood glucose capabilities of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, explains that Apple is intending to bring blood glucose monitoring to the upcoming Apple Watch Series 7 using a non-invasive optical sensor.
Measuring blood glucose levels, also known as blood sugar levels, is vital to managing conditions such as diabetes. Normally, measuring blood glucose requires testing a drop of blood in a blood sugar meter or using an implanted continuous glucose monitor . The ability to observe any major increases or decreases in blood glucose may raise awareness of a potential health condition or simply help to improve a user’s diet.
Apple is said to have secured patents around blood glucose monitoring, and the company is now purportedly “focusing on securing reliability and stability prior to commercialization of the technology.” The Apple-designed optical sensor is believed to be a skin-top continuous monitoring solution that does not require an implant.
The Apple Watch Series 7 is expected to arrive later this year, but there have been few rumors around what the new models may feature. While there have been reports of microLED displays and solid-state buttons with haptic feedback for the Apple Watch, these are not directly expected for the Apple Watch Series 7.
Food Tracking With Blood Glucose Monitoring Would Be A Perfect Match
Ive mentioned it a few times already, but Im a Type 2 diabetic. However, since Im also pregnant, I need to worry about the possibility of gestational diabetes as well. Ive been monitoring my blood sugar levels with the One Drop system, but that requires pricking my finger several times a day, which I hate. Multiple people have told me to consider something like the Dexcom G6 system, but the problem with that is cost â its definitely pricey.
This is why I am eagerly hoping that the rumor of the Apple Watch Series 7 having a sensor for monitoring blood glucose levels to be true because it would be a total insta-buy for me. It would be more affordable than a continuous glucose monitor system, but it would still give me a general idea of how my sugar levels are doing throughout the day. And when you combine that with native food tracking in iOS 15, it would be the perfect mix.
Of course, I still plan to test the accuracy if need be with my finger sticks, but I would hope that I wouldnt have to do it as much as I am now. But just being able to see, in real-time, at a glance, how my blood sugar levels are affected by the foods I eat would genuinely be helpful when I need to report results to the doctor.
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We believe the next generation wont be defined by age, but by a world without heart attacks or strokes. This is a world-changing mind-set we call Going for Zero. We do our part through technology supporting personal fitness, heart health, healthy lungs and freedom from pain. You bring this commitment to life by understanding and sharing heart health with every step.
Can An Apple Watch Check Blood Sugar
Health and technology form a stronger relationship each passing year. New medical devices paired with technological platforms create amazing opportunities for patients with diabetes. Dexcom is a company that creates glucose monitoring systems for patients with diabetes in order to manage diabetes in a simpler, more convenient way. This relatively new technology is being pursued by the giant tech company, Apple, to create a watch that monitors blood sugar.
Apple and Dexcom collaborated to use Dexcoms CGM technology and Apples information systems platform to collect, display, and send glucose monitoring data to the Apple Watch. Once displayed on the Apple watch, the patient can easily view blood glucose levels in real-time. This is an amazing advantage for patients with diabetes who can now respond in a proactive way instead of reacting to a negative situation. This is an exciting time in healthcare technology where medical devices are being created and distributed to the masses at lower costs.
Features of the Dexcom Tool
The Apple Watch uses an app that can monitor blood glucose levels. The watch itself does not have a sensor on it to monitor blood glucose levels, but rather collects the data from the Dexcom device and displays it on the watch for convenience, safety, and around-the-clock monitoring. Patients must only look down at their watch to see current blood glucose levels. Amazing!
Will Medicaid Pay for a Dexcom?
Advantages of Continuous Glucose Monitoring
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Apple Watch Series 7 Could Track Alcohol Levels As Details Of Secretive Deal Emerge
Update: The Apple Watch Series 7 is now official. Read our guide for everything you need to know.
Evidence that an Apple Watch could non-invasively track blood glucose levels has surfaced. It also suggests the smartwatch-maker may be exploring the possibility of doing the same for monitoring alcohol levels, blood pressure and a host of other biomarkers.
Apples potential next moves for the Apple Watch comes from a filing made at the SEC by UK-based startup Rockley Photonics as it prepares to go public in New York.
The startup builds non-invasive sensors designed primarily for the healthcare industry. On its website, it talks of bringing laboratory diagnostics to the wrist and claims its optical sensor technology could offer accuracy in the region of what infrared can deliver on that front.
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In the filing, it reveals that Apple is one of its largest customers and that its largest customers accounted for the majority of its revenue in 2019 and 2020. Unsurprisingly, there arent details as to what exactly Rockley Photonics has provided Apple during the period.
The Apple Watch currently offers optical based heart rate monitoring and recently added a blood oxygen sensor on its Series 6 smartwatch, which is also a piece of biometric data that Rockley Photonics says its technology can track.
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Apple’s Working On A Blood Glucose Sensor
Blood glucose monitoring in the Apple Watch would require the company to expand on the current blood readings on its smartwatch. The Apple Watch Series 7 already uses the built-in optical sensor to read the wearer’s blood oxygen percentage, but blood glucose monitoring would require more advanced technology. All signs point to this being one of Apple’s targets, though. The company was granted a patent from the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office regarding an “integrated photonics device including a frequency stabilization subsystem for monitoring and/or adjusting the wavelength of light emitted by one or more light sources.” It’s not clear exactly what type of data is being sought after with this patent, but the filing seems to reference an advanced optical sensor that could be used to monitor blood glucose levels.
Apple showcases one of the third-party options on their online store, the One Drop Blood Glucose Monitoring Kit. It works just like any other mainstream glucose monitoring kit patients prick their finger and let a drop of blood reach the test strip, where it is inserted into the One Drop meter. From there, data can be viewed on the user’s iPhone and Apple Watch. It certainly isn’t as easy as a potential inbuilt blood glucose monitor, but it’s the closest thing to blood glucose monitoring available on the Apple Watch Series 7.
Whats Covered By Insurance
Gillian is no stranger to recurring payments, but that doesnt necessarily mean she wants more of them. Luckily, her insurance covers over $6,000 per year in costs of her Dexcom glucose sensors and transmitters, so we looked into whether BlueShield BlueCross would finance an Apple Watch, too. It wont instead, it has a program for financing a Fitbit as it relates to upping daily activity. Unfortunately, Dexcom does not make an app for Fitbits.
Some providers like Aetna and United do have options for Apple Watch coverage, so I would advise other diabetics in these insurance systems to seek out payment options. You should check if your glucose monitoring system has a compatible smartwatch app, too. The One Drop glucose monitoring kit is a good Dexcom alternative you could use to see your blood glucose data and analytics on your wrist.
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Fitness And Sleep Tracking
The Body Composition feature tracks workouts and offers personalized suggestions and a snapshot of the progress. The data includes recovery, heart rate, and customized hydration recommendations based on body fluid loss.
Just like the Watch4, the Watch5 can also provide info on snoring patterns and comes with a personal sleeping coach. Integration with Samsung SmartThings means that the Watch5 can automatically control room lighting, air conditioning, and TV to create a comfortable sleep environment.
New Apple Watch Health Features Coming This Year But Blood Pressure And Blood Sugar Sensors Delayed
Apple is still planning to add body temperature monitoring and new health features to the Apple Watch this year, despite experiencing development problems with blood pressure and blood glucose monitoring, in addition to multiple new features in the iPhone‘s Health app, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman.
Apple has reportedly been working on an updated sensor for the Apple Watch that is capable of determining if a user has high blood pressure, but accuracy has been an issue when testing the technology on employees. The feature is purportedly able to tell users if they may have hypertension, rather than provide specific systolic and diastolic readings. Apple is said to have been working on the feature for at least four years, but it is unlikely to be ready until 2024 at the earliest and may slip to 2025.
Apple is also working on non-invasive blood glucose monitoring, but the feature is still believed to be several years away and the company is not yet targeting a release year. In the meanwhile, Apple has discussed improving support for third-party glucose meters on the Apple Watch and on the iPhone’s Health app to help users with diabetes.
Amid Apple’s work on new health features and a number of departures on the company’s health team, Gurman added that some employees have been unhappy with Apple’s progress, arguing that enhancements are taking too long, not enough risks are being taken, and that the Health team has not grown in at least two years.
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