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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
A newly FDA-approved dual glucose and ketone sensor could make it easier for people with diabetes to monitor ketone levels in real time — a critical step in preventing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Experts are urging healthcare providers to build ketone management action plans into routine diabetes care. The device, cleared for patients as young as 2, checks both glucose and ketone levels every minute.
The FDA recently approved the first continuous dual glucose and ketone sensor (Libre Duo 10 Day system, Abbott Diabetes) for people with diabetes aged 2 and older — and experts say it's a game-changer for preventing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Speaking at the ADCES26 annual meeting, Christie Beatson, MS, RD, CDCES, highlighted how existing home ketone testing methods — urine dipsticks and blood ketone meters — are inconvenient, expensive, and rarely used, leaving many patients dangerously uninformed about their ketone levels.
The new sensor checks glucose and ketone levels every minute and can alert wearers in real time when ketones are rising, potentially catching dangerous trends before they escalate to full DKA. Beatson emphasized that clinicians should use this technology as a springboard to educate patients and develop written ketone action plans — detailing when to self-manage, when to call the clinic, and when to head to the ER.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: DKA is a life-threatening emergency, yet awareness and monitoring remain critically low. This new sensor — paired with proactive care planning — could meaningfully reduce hospitalizations and deaths tied to a largely preventable complication.
