Navigator Approval

For anyone interested in continuous glucose monitoring, you now have a third option in addition to the DexCom SEVEN and the Medtronic Guardian or Paradigm. The Abbott FreeStyle Navigator was approved by the FDA in March for use in the U.S., having been approved in the European Union last year. Like the DexCom and Medtronic systems, the FreeStyle Navigator system consists of three parts: a sensor, a transmitter and receiver. An automated inserter places the sensor just beneath the skin where it is worn for up to five days – currently the Medtronic sensors are supposed to be worn for up to three days as compared to seven days for the DexCom sensor, although it is possible to “extend” wear with both. The Navigator gathers glucose data once every minute and wirelessly sends it to the receiver. We think the biggest advantage to the system is the directional arrows that are designed to predict high and low blood sugars before they occur. As with the other continuous glucose monitors, the Navigator does not actually measure glucose levels in the blood, but rather in interstitial fluid, which is a close approximation. Click here to view an interactive tour of the device. Look for the Test Drive in upcoming issues of diaTribe when one of our staff will take the Navigator out for a spin.