Global healthcare company Abbott has announced that its Lingo continuous glucose monitoring system is now available in the United States without a prescription.
Lingo includes a biosensor and mobile app based on Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre continuous glucose monitoring technology.
The system is a biowearable product intended for people aged 18 years or older who are not taking insulin.
It tracks blood glucose levels in real time and provides end-users with personal insights and guidance aimed at helping them build healthy habits, retrain their metabolism and improve their overall health.
“There is significant interest in tracking biomarkers that provide insights into an individual’s health and wellness that have not previously been detectable through consumer-available trackers,” Olivier Ropars, vice president of Abbott’s apple business, said in a statement.
“Blood glucose levels are powerful signals that show the body’s unique response to food and lifestyle. Abbott’s Lingo tracks blood glucose levels 24/7 and transforms that data into insights, bridging the gap between traditional healthcare and preventative measures. Lingo empowers individuals to develop new healthy habits and take control of their health and wellness.”
Larger trends
In August, Abbott introduced its Vertigo Coach app in India, where approximately 10 million people suffer from vertigo. The product is available on both Android and iOS devices, and the mobile app provides information and resources to help people suffering from vertigo manage their symptoms.
In 2022, Abbott’s implantable cardiac sensor system, CardioMEMS, received expanded FDA clearance, allowing patients in the earlier stages of heart failure to use the technology.
The system is designed to monitor pressure changes in the heart and is implanted in the patient’s pulmonary artery during minimally invasive surgery.
Abbott in 2021 won FDA clearance for imaging software that uses artificial intelligence to give doctors a clearer view of blood flow and blockages in cardiovascular systems.
The Ultreon 1.0 software combines optical coherence tomography and AI to help doctors determine the next steps in treatment.
Other companies in the glucose monitoring space include Dexcom’s Stelo, a wearable glucose monitoring device that hit the US market in August, which tracks blood glucose levels 24/7 and does not require a prescription.
Medtronic offers two smart continuous glucose monitoring systems: Guardian Connect, which alerts patients to high or low blood glucose levels up to 60 minutes in advance so they can take action, and Guardian Sensor 3, which also predicts high or low blood glucose levels up to an hour in advance and integrates with the company’s latest insulin pump therapy.
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