Minneapolis-based Medtronic, Inc., has announced that the US Food and Drug Administration has given it the go-ahead to market its mySentry monitor, which allows caregivers to check the blood sugar of a diabetic person sleeping in another room. The bedside monitor, which costs around $3,000, works in tandem with Medtronic’s MiniMed Paradigm REAL-Time RevelT System, a combined insulin pump/continuous glucose monitor unit.
The mySentry device allows parents or caregivers to remotely view glucose trends and monitor insulin pump status, including battery life and the amount of remaining insulin. It sounds an alert to caregivers whenever any of the indicators it tracks becomes worrisome.
According to current research, about 75 percent of all hypoglycemic episodes occur at night. Many parents and caregivers wake up several times during the night to check the blood sugar levels of a diabetic child or patient in order to prevent hypoglycemia, which can lead to coma or death.
