CBDCE Diabetes Technology and Monitoring Flashcards

What does the acronym CGM stand for in diabetes management technology?

Answer: Continuous Glucose Monitor

CGM stands for Continuous Glucose Monitor, a device that measures interstitial glucose levels continuously throughout the day and night.

A patient's CGM report shows Time in Range (TIR) of 58%. According to consensus targets, what should their TIR goal be for most adults with diabetes?

Answer: Greater than 70%

The international consensus target for Time in Range is greater than 70% (more than 16.8 hours/day) in the glucose range of 70–180 mg/dL for most non-pregnant adults with diabetes.

Which CGM metric specifically measures glucose variability and is expressed as a percentage of the mean glucose?

Answer: Coefficient of Variation (CV)

The Coefficient of Variation (CV) quantifies glucose variability; a CV below 36% is generally considered stable glycemic control.

When educating a patient on self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG), which site is considered the standard reference site for blood glucose testing?

Answer: Fingertip

The fingertip is the standard reference site for SMBG because it has high capillary density and reflects current blood glucose most accurately.

A patient using a CGM sensor reports that readings seem to lag behind their fingerstick values during rapid glucose changes. What is the physiological reason for this?

Answer: CGM measures interstitial fluid glucose, which lags behind blood glucose by 5–15 minutes

CGM sensors measure glucose in the interstitial fluid, not blood, and glucose equilibration between blood and interstitium causes a physiological lag of 5–15 minutes.

Which feature of a CGM system alerts patients to act before glucose levels reach a dangerous threshold?

Answer: Predictive low alert

Predictive low alerts use trend algorithms to warn patients that their glucose is projected to drop below a set threshold within a defined time window (e.g., 20 minutes).