Continuous Glucose Monitoring-Purposes, Benefits, and Problems: A Review of the Indian Scenario.

One of the global epicenters of the diabetes mellitus pandemic is India. Over the past 40 years, there has been a sharp rise in the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in India due to rapid socioeconomic development, demographic shifts, and increasing susceptibility in the Indian population. Diabetes affects 74.2 million individuals in India, which places a significant strain on the country's economy and healthcare system. A patient's diet, lifestyle, medication, and glucose monitoring must all be customized for optimal diabetes control. The rates of glucose monitoring in India are abysmal. Most of the monitoring methods currently in use are based on single-point-in-time readings, which may not be totally indicative of the state of diabetes control. This presents problems. With advancements in technology, the new monitoring tool-continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)-provides visibility into the glycemic profile 24 × 7 with user-friendly reports that provide information much beyond glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and self-monitoring of blood glucose. This device also detects the time spent in range by the individual with diabetes. This review article discusses CGM in terms of its purposes, technologies, accuracy, clinical indications, benefits, and problems associated with it.

© Journal of the Association of Physicians of India 2026.