breakthroughs Offer New Hope for Millions Living with Diabetes
Lille,France – Major advancements in diabetes care,notably for Type 1 diabetes,are dramatically improving the lives of patients,according to Professor Anne Vambergue,head of the diabetology-nutrition department at Lille University Hospital. Speaking on the sidelines of World Diabetes Day events,Professor Vambergue highlighted the impact of continuous glucose monitoring and automated insulin delivery systems.
For years,diabetes was considered “the poor relation” in medical innovation,but that is rapidly changing,she stated. continuous glucose monitoring, now available to all Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic patients on insulin, provides precise blood sugar profiles using interstitial fluid measurements, moving beyond customary finger-prick tests.
Further revolutionizing care are closed-loop systems – automated insulin delivery devices combining glucose sensors with artificial intelligence algorithms. These systems adjust insulin levels based on individual patient parameters, offering important benefits, especially for those with Type 1 diabetes, and showing promise for Type 2 patients as well.
New therapies like GLP-1 agonists are also proving effective for Type 2 diabetics who are overweight or obese, aiding in weight loss and improved diabetes control.”Thanks to new technologies and new drug strategies, we can truly personalize care,” Professor Vambergue emphasized. “All this contributes to better balance and better quality of life for people with diabetes.”
The advancements come at a critical time,particularly in the Hauts-de-France region,which has a diabetes prevalence of 6.2% – linked to high rates of overweight and obesity. Nationally, France currently has 4 million Type 2 diabetes patients, but alarmingly, 1 million remain undiagnosed. World Diabetes Day screening initiatives aim to address this gap.
Professor Vambergue also noted a concerning trend: a 3-4% annual increase in Type 1 diabetes cases, particularly among young children, a phenomenon researchers are still working to understand.Currently, approximately 200,000 people in France live with Type 1 diabetes.
