Starting a GLP-1? How diabetes experts recommend tracking glucose

Key Points:

• GLP-1 medications have significantly advanced Type 2 diabetes treatment by lowering blood sugar and supporting weight loss, but experts emphasize that starting these drugs is not the end of diabetes management.
• Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) like the FreeStyle Libre provide real-time blood sugar data, helping patients understand how daily choices such as diet, exercise, medication, and stress impact glucose levels.
• Recent studies show that combining CGM technology with GLP-1 therapy leads to greater improvements in HbA1c levels compared to GLP-1 therapy alone, indicating a powerful complementary effect.
• Beyond numerical improvements, CGMs help patients connect lifestyle habits to glucose changes, enhancing engagement and accountability in diabetes care.
• Healthcare professionals increasingly view CGMs and GLP-1 medications as complementary tools essential for effective long-term management of Type 2 diabetes.