What did continuous glucose monitors improve on?

Patients previously relied on finger-prick blood tests several times a day. Continuous monitors show trends through day and night and cut the need for finger pricks.

How does an insulin pump work?

An insulin pump delivers small amounts of insulin continuously through a fine tube under the skin. The user adds extra doses at mealtimes.

What is a closed-loop system in diabetes care?

A closed-loop system links a continuous glucose monitor to an insulin pump through an algorithm. The pump adjusts insulin automatically in response to glucose readings.

CCEA A-Level Life and Health Sciences 0008

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Topic overview Standard solutions, titrations and qualitative tests Rates of reaction and organic preparations Physics measurements: oscillations, resistivity, lenses and critical angle Biological tests, colorimetry, chromatography and osmosis

Human Body Systems

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Material ScienceDouble Award

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Medicine, Drugs and Clinical TrialsDouble Award

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Enabling TechnologyDouble Award

Topic overview ECG and EEG machines in patient monitoring Ultrasound and IVF equipment in fertility treatment Prosthetic limbs, hearing aids and cochlear implants Workflow and equipment in a medical laboratory Ongoing monitoring of a long-term condition Health data collection, databases and data protection

Enabling Technology

Ongoing monitoring of a long-term condition

3 things to know
A2 10

Overview

Type 1 diabetes and its effects, continuous glucose monitors, insulin pumps and closed-loop systems, pacemaker checks, peak flow diaries with a worked percentage, and remote monitoring.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started

Key term

Why do some long-term conditions need ongoing medical monitoring?

Key term

How does type 1 diabetes affect the body?

Process

How does a continuous glucose monitor work?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
Why do some long-term conditions need ongoing medical monitoring?
Model answer
Conditions such as type 1 diabetes, asthma and heart rhythm disorders change from day to day. Regular measurements show when treatment must be adjusted to prevent harm.
2
How does type 1 diabetes affect the body?
Model answer
The immune system destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. Without insulin, glucose builds up in the blood and cannot enter cells for energy.
3
How does a continuous glucose monitor work?
Model answer
A tiny sensor under the skin measures glucose in the tissue fluid every few minutes. A transmitter sends the readings to a phone or reader, with alarms for high and low levels.
4
What did continuous glucose monitors improve on?
Model answer
Patients previously relied on finger-prick blood tests several times a day. Continuous monitors show trends through day and night and cut the need for finger pricks.
5
How does an insulin pump work?
Model answer
An insulin pump delivers small amounts of insulin continuously through a fine tube under the skin. The user adds extra doses at mealtimes.
6
What is a closed-loop system in diabetes care?
Model answer
A closed-loop system links a continuous glucose monitor to an insulin pump through an algorithm. The pump adjusts insulin automatically in response to glucose readings.

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