Devices to read and monitor blood-glucose levels and blood pressure have been available for some time, except they were never “smart.” Harnessing the power and reach of smartphones, it is now possible to get an accurate reading and record data over to a compatible application that is able to break down the data into a simple, user-friendly interface.

"In the past, patients who used do-it-yourself monitors had to record results manually in a logbook, and then do the math to calculate how the nutritional details for meals might impact blood-sugar levels."

Connected and accurate

A blood-glucose meter could plug in directly to the audio port of an iPhone or Android handset, and after placing a blood sample onto a test strip, the app records the result. It’s a process that can be repeated a few times per week, or several times throughout the day.

“Such a device replaces carrying a blood-glucose meter, separate vial of test strips, separate blood-letting device that pokes your finger and a logbook to record it,” says Tino Montopoli, an Ontario pharmacist who also runs Diabetes Depot.

“It does all the graphs and calculations with empirical data for analysis from themselves or a doctor. It’s also peace of mind that the right dose of insulin is given, including what food is being ingested.”

He sees it being especially helpful for how easy it is for patients to use these products with their own smartphones, and the precise data they are able to log automatically.

In the past, patients who used do-it-yourself monitors had to record results manually in a logbook, and then do the math to calculate how the nutritional details for meals might impact blood-sugar levels. Inputting that data into an app can take out the guesswork.

“A parent or caregiver can log in to the cloud-based website and check on those things, since the data is stored on the smartphone and the cloud,” he says. “They can program a certain threshold whereby the system would notify a parent or caregiver via text message of a specific blood-glucose level.”

“Doctors know that the least reliable reading they have is the one they take at the time the patient is in their office, because blood pressure and blood-glucose readings can change so quickly.”

Doctor’s orders

Doctors and caregivers also greatly benefit, says Robert Burgy, President of Auto Control Medical Inc. in Mississauga, ON. Previously, the onus would have been on patients to manage all the record-keeping and be honest with their doctors about the results.

“As healthcare professionals have observed, a patient who gets a high reading the day before an appointment may jot down a normal number, providing the wrong information,” says Burgy.

“Doctors know that the least reliable reading they have is the one they take at the time the patient is in their office, because blood pressure and blood-glucose readings can change so quickly.”

To help stay on top of the data, someone with an elderly parent could also monitor blood pressure or blood-glucose results by logging into his or her account. As the data is based in the cloud, it is accessible via the same app or a web browser using the same account information.

“Having all this information handy and being able to communicate it is a big thing,” he says. “The fact that different people can share it has never truly been done before, and with most people having smartphones today, it’s also never been easier to adopt these devices.”