With the advent of real- time continuous glu- cose monitors (CGMs), time in range has emerged as a tremendous benefit for people with diabetes and healthcare professionals. Time in range is an important indicator of how a person with diabetes is doing every minute of every day and night, whereas A1C can only give an estimate of the average glucose during the past 2-3 months.

The best tool for measuring time in range is a CGM, as CGM technology allows users to see in real time whether they are in or out of their target range, displaying trend arrows to show the speed and direction in which glucose lev- els are heading. It also allows people to set their own high and low alerts levels to be warned well ahead of time before they become dangerously out of range.

Time in range and other metrics that one can get from a CGM report can give important information on what adjustments need to be made with medication dosage and timing, dietary habits, exercise routines, and more in order to improve time in range. Managing time in range has real-life benefits as well—my pa- tients share with me that when they are in range, they feel healthier, more energetic, and experience less diabetes distress. For healthcare professionals who are knowledgeable about time in range, it helps to pinpoint potential issues and devel- op a plan as a team to safely improve a patient’s treatment regimen. Even a 5% increase in time in range is considered clinically meaningful and can make a big difference in a patient’s life, both short and long term.

I was surprised when I saw a recent survey that found that nearly one- half (47%) of people with insu- lin-treated diabetes said they were unfamiliar with time in range. Also, 53% said they have never discussed time in range with their healthcare profes- sional. Not enough professionals or patients know about it.

Diabetes experts have released an International Consensus on Time in Range that aims to align the industry on time in range as a critical mea- sure of glucose control, and researchers are now routinely including time in range improvement as a standard validation of success in clinical studies. It’s up to us to understand time in range and adopt it as an important standard and essen- tial metric of glucose control.

Recently launched, The Global Movement for Time in Range and its supporting nonprofits— including the organization I founded, Taking Control of Your Diabetes—has resources avail- able to educate your patients while provid- ing you with more information about time in range to help you explore treatment options and provide the best possible care to all patients with diabetes.

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