Technologies in Diabetes Treatment Have Advanced Rapidly in Recent Years, Offering Patients a Wide Range of Smart Tools. What Are Their Main Benefits and How Do They Improve the Lives of People with Diabetes?

Glucose sensors

Sensors measure blood sugar levels in real time and alert patients to dangerous fluctuations, especially low glucose levels (hypoglycemia). The data is often displayed in mobile apps, which can also be voice-accessible for blind users.

Insulin pens and pumps

Smart insulin pens help track insulin administration and prevent dosing errors. Insulin pumps automatically adjust insulin delivery based on current glucose readings, significantly improving treatment—especially for people with type 1 diabetes.

The future with artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence is already being used, for example, to recognize the composition of meals and estimate carbohydrate content, helping patients calculate insulin doses more accurately.

Apps and supporting technologies

Diabetes treatment is not only about insulin. Lifestyle measures such as diet and physical activity are equally important. Modern apps assist patients with carbohydrate counting, tracking energy intake, and monitoring physical activity and sleep quality via smartwatches.

The goal is to integrate all this information—insulin pumps, sensors, food and activity data—and use it to provide the best possible care.

Even though modern technologies may seem challenging, experience from IKEM shows that even older patients can manage them well. The oldest sensor user is 84 years old, and many patients over 80 use smart insulin pumps.

Diapanter registr

IKEM maintains a registry of patients with type 1 diabetes that collects data on treatment and outcomes. This helps doctors select the most effective methods and technologies for their patients.

More than 2,200 patients from IKEM and 13 other diabetes centers across the Czech Republic are currently registered.

Here you can find the IKEM podcast on this topic (in Czech):

YouTube – Moderní technologie v léčbě diabetu

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