Last week, we discussed the growing use of biosimilar types of insulin and smart insulin pens, which should be available in the next few years in Quebec. This week, we look at what continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems, insulin pumps and other tools have in store for us. Continuous glucose monitoring systems The Freestyle Libre … Read more
There has been a lot going on these past few years in terms of promising new treatments and technology and the coverage provided to people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) by the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ). Biosimilar insulin Biosimilar insulin is a similar copy of an existing biological type of insulin (the … Read more
The first ever drug to prevent and delay the onset of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in patients at a higher risk of developing it in the short term—a new injectable medication with an unusual name, Teplizumab—is about to be approved and made available on the U.S. market. On May 27, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug … Read more
Summer is officially here, and for people with type 1 diabetes (T1D), this also means a lot of things to remember. Here are some tips and tricks for a beautiful summer. COVID-19 As the number of people receiving their second vaccine dose keeps growing, the public health measures are changing accordingly. It’s critical that you keep … Read more
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is characterized by the presence of antibodies that destroy the pancreas’s insulin-producing beta cells. Without this vital hormone, people with T1D must either take multiple injections of insulin every day or use an insulin pump to regulate their blood sugar levels. In type 2 diabetes (T2D), the pancreas still produces insulin, … Read more
Ever since insulin was first used in Toronto 100 years ago, the daily lives of people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) have been transformed by many discoveries. Thanks to the formulation of insulin as a treatment for type 1 diabetes, this short-term fatal illness was transformed into a chronic one. The discovery was just … Read more
Announced today, the Régie de l’Assurance Maladie du Québec (RAMQ) will now offer reimbursement for the DEXCOM G6 continuous blood glucose meter for people 2 years of age and over, living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and that meet certain criteria (exception medication and device). The Dexcom G6 will be the first continuous blood glucose … Read more
While some diabetes-related complications are well-known (e.g., potential eye, kidney or nerve damage), there are others, like auditory neuropathy, that are largely unknown. Chronic hyperglycemia can cause auditory neuropathy when associated with damage to smaller auditory nerves (those that enable hearing). Assessing the risk Many studies indicate that some people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) … Read more
Diabetic ketoacidosis is a major diabetes-related complication and one that people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) dread the most. Many people get their T1D diagnosis following a ketoacidosis episode. Persistent high blood sugar levels (over 14 mmol/L) combined with a lack of insulin can cause ketoacidosis. When this happens, the body can no longer use … Read more
Many women with type 1 diabetes will agree that they often see their blood sugar levels fluctuate depending on the phase of their menstrual cycle. This often requires them to adjust their insulin doses. Blood sugar levels and the menstrual cycle Typical menstrual cycles begin on the first day of menstruation and last 28 days, … Read more