Medtronic Guardian Sensor 4 vs Dexcom G7: A Comparison

Continuous glucose monitors or CGMs are the wearable, blood glucose level measuring devices that can provide real-time information regarding the patient’s sugar level fluctuations. With a wear time spanning over several days, these CGM sensors continuously estimate the concentration of glucose in the interstitial fluid, eliminating the need for frequent fingerstick tests. With nearly 10 million Americans benefiting from these devices at the moment, it is essential to look into some of the best CGMs available in the market, including items like the Medtronic Guardian Sensor 4 and Dexcom G7.

In this article, we will go through the key differences between the Medtronic Guardian Sensor 4 and Dexcom G7 sensors to find out which of them produces better results when it comes to blood glucose monitoring. In addition, some of the well-known CGM brands have also been linked for the reader’s convenience.

What is the Medtronic Guardian Sensor 4?

Medtronic Guardian Sensor 4 is a BGL measuring product that is known for its ease of usage, efficacy of measurement, and high user comfort. These are small and compact wearables that are also easy to place under the skin. Like other CGM sensors, the Medtronic Guardian Sensor 4 also works 24/7 to provide a full spectrum of the diabetic patient’s blood sugar levels.

Benefits of Using the Medtronic Guardian Sensor 4 for Continuous Glucose Monitoring

When it comes to choosing a suitable continuous glucose monitor for the estimation of BGL, the Medtronic Guardian Sensor 4 is often preferred. This is because the product comes with numerous benefits that add to its basic working. Some of these have been summarized as follows:

Real-Time BGL Estimation

Medtronic Guardian Sensor 4 allows the estimation of real-time blood glucose measurement, which allows the patient to have better control over their sugar level. This is particularly useful among individuals with type 1 diabetes. In addition, this real-time BGL estimation also gives a chance to the healthcare providers to design a personalized diabetes management plan based on how well the patient is responding to certain treatments or lifestyle modifications.

Reduced Risk of BGL Fluctuations

The Medtronic Guardian Sensor 4 detects and signals the patient whenever a higher or lower than normal BGL is recorded. This way, the patient can immediately take the necessary measures to prevent the risk of hyper- or hypoglycemia. Moreover, this real-time data can also be shared with the healthcare providers to get timely guidance.

Furthermore, this feature of the Medtronic Guardian Sensor 4 also reduce the chances of long-term complications associated with diabetes, such as diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy, cardiovascular problems, etc., as the BGL is strictly kept within the target range.

Improved Time-in-Range

With the use of the Medtronic Guardian Sensor 4, the users enjoy higher percentages of time within the predetermined target glucose range, i.e., typically within 70 to 180 mg/dL or 3.9 to 10 mmol/L. The feature is important as it gives valuable insights into how well-controlled the patient’s diabetes is, information previously gotten from Hemoglobin A1c alone.

What is the Dexcom G7 Sensor?

The Dexcom G7 sensor is an all-in-one, compact blood glucose monitoring sensor that is known for its faster warm-up time and customizable alert features. Being 60% smaller than its previous model, the device is not very visible when worn under the clothes and is, therefore, preferred by most.

Benefits of Using the Dexcom G7 Sensor for Continuous Glucose Monitoring

Like the Medtronic Guardian Sensor 4, Dexcom G7 sensor is also talked about because of several benefits it provide among the diabetic group. Some of these key advantages achieved by the system have been listed below:

Exceptional Accuracy

The Dexcom G7 sensors are known for their high accuracy, as their Mean Absolute Relative Difference (MARD) is nearly 8.2%. This number, being a key metric for assessing how accurate a CGM sensor is, indicates that the BGL estimated by the product only differs from the actual blood glucose levels by nearly 8%. In general, a MARD below 9% is considered highly accurate.

One-Touch Application Process

With their one-touch application process, the Dexcom G7 sensors are easy to place under the skin. The device comes with a disposable applicator that just needs to be put on the selected skin area and pressed once to insert. This way, no previous training is required for the use of these CGM sensors.

Medtronic Guardian Sensor 4 and Dexcom G7: A Comparison

While choosing a suitable CGM, it is advised to go through the features of some of the well-known devices before picking one. In this regard, the following section summarizes a comparison between the Medtronic Guardian Sensor 4 and Dexcom G7 sensors to make the choice easy for the buyers:

Features	Medtronic Guardian Sensor 4	Dexcom G7 Sensor
Insertion Parts	Three pieces, including sensor, inserter, and transmitter	One piece/all-in-one sensor
Usage Frequency	Single use	Single use
Suitable Placement Sites	Abdomen, arm, upper buttocks	Ages 2 to 6: Back of upper arm, upper buttocks, or stomach Age 7 and above: Back of upper arm, stomach
Sensor Warm-Up Time	2 hours	30 minutes
Wear Time	Up to 7 days	Up to 14 days
Compatible Display Devices	Smartphone, Smartwatch, MiniMed Insulin pumps	Smartphone (Apple, Android), Smartwatch, Receiver
In-the-Moment BGL Alerts	✔ Urgent low (3.1 mmol/L) Low High Falling or rising fast	✔ Urgent low (3.1 mmol/L) Low High Falling or rising fast
Predictive Alerts	✔ High and low within the next 60 minutes	✔ Urgent low within next 20 minutes
Alert Convenience Settings	Alert silence options (insulin pumps only) Snooze option for high and low alerts	Quiet mode (vibrate or silence all) Snooze option for low and high alerts Optional second alert schedule
Waterproof/Water-Resistant Sensor	✔ Water-resistant until the depth of 2.4 meters (8 feet) for up to 30 minutes	✔ Waterproof until the depth of 2.4 meters (8 feet) for up to 24 hours
Need for Fingerstick Calibration	✘	✘
Relevant Data Sharing App	CareLink Connect app	Dexcom Follow app
Glucose Data Report Website	CareLink Personal, MiniMed Mobile	Dexcom Clarity Glooko

Continuous Glucose Monitors at Health Supply 770: Features and Specifications

Frequent blood glucose monitoring is essential during diabetic care as this way, knowing how well the patient is responding to treatments or lifestyle modifications becomes possible. In this regard, the conventional method of fingerprick test is useful, but painful. Therefore, continuous glucose monitors have been introduced.

However, when it comes to learning about Medtronic Guardian Sensor 4 and Dexcom G7 sensors, it is also essential to look into some of the products that many brands manufacture. Some of these well-known continuous glucose monitors are also available at Health Supply 770 and have been detailed below, along with their features and purchase links:

Medtronic Guardian Sensor 4 For 780G BX/5

Product Details

Medtronic Guardian sensor 4 is one of the well-known continuous glucose monitors owing to its usability among adults as well as children alike. The product has been extensively tested before giving approval. Its safety and versatility are reflected by the fact that the product can be employed for children of or above the age of seven. Another prominent advantage of the Medtronic Guardian Sensor 4 is its ability to monitor real-time blood glucose values without taking much time.

In addition, the device also provides a detailed pattern of all the fluctuations in the blood sugar levels in the form of graphs and trends. Moreover, the Medtronic Guardian sensor 4 is also capable of handling the highs and lows of the blood glucose levels by making precise adjustments in the rapid-acting insulin. An automatic correction feature also adjusts the highs in case of an under-estimated carbohydrate count, along with the occasionally missed meal doses.

Furthermore, these Medtronic Guardian sensors work consistently with their wear time of up to 7 days, leading to reliable results. For the display of the collected BGL data, a relevant receiver can be used with the device that has the relevant sensor app. However, the Medtronic Guardian sensor 4 can also be connected to a smartphone device. Keep in mind that the Medtronic Guardian sensor 4 is a prescription-only product that comes with usage instructions and in proper packaging to prevent contamination.

Dexcom G7 Glucose Sensor 1 unit

Product Details

Dexcom G7 glucose sensor 1 unit is another reliable system used by diabetic patients for the estimation of blood sugar levels. Being an easy-to-use system, the device can be quickly placed under the skin using an applicator that comes with the sensor. As soon as the sensor is set, it starts taking BGL readings and sending them to the receiver device every few minutes.

Considering the ease of usage as well as efficacy of these Dexcom G7 glucose 1 unit sensors, the products are often preferred by patients who need continuous information regarding their BGL to avoid the risk of hyper or hypoglycemia. With a wear time of up to 14 days, the sensor beats almost all of its competitors in terms of its usage duration.

In addition, the device also comes with an automatic calibration feature that eliminates the need for regular system calibrations by conducting painful fingerstick tests. In this regard, the feature uses a factory-set algorithm to do the job.

Moreover, the construction material used for manufacturing these Dexcom G7 glucose 1 unit sensors is soft and flexible, and therefore, does not cause discomfort or irritation to the users during the 14-day wear time. As for their construction, the basic design contains a platinum anode with a silver-coated, steel-based cathode tube.

Furthermore, when compared to the previous Dexcom CGM models, these Dexcom G7 glucose 1 unit sensors are more efficient in performance and accurate in terms of their results. When it comes to notifications, the device also give of alarms and alerts to make the patient aware of their BGL fluctuations. In addition, information regarding the sensor status changes or missed glucose readings is also covered by customizable notifications.

Along with all the above-mentioned features, these Dexcom G7 glucose sensors are also water-resistant, a feature that allows their usage even while taking a shower. Additionally, patients can also wear them while swimming for up to 30 minutes at a depth of 3 feet. Each Dexcom G7 glucose sensor 1 unit is sold in individualized packaging that ensures the safety of the item.

The products linked in the article, while learning about Medtronic Guardian Sensor 4 and Dexcom G7 sensors, along with many other medical supplies, can be purchased from Health Supply 770, a reliable name when it comes to medical products. They have a 30-day money-back guarantee and provide your products to you in the shortest possible time. Click the link at the end of the article to check the wide range of diabetic care products.

Conclusion

Diabetes is one of the chronic conditions that affects a huge chunk of the American population. If improperly controlled, the disease can worsen and become the cause of conditions, like diabetic neuropathy, retinopathy, cardiovascular disorders, etc. However, almost all of these conditions can be avoided with proper treatment and management of diabetes.

In this regard, the use of Medtronic Guardian Sensor 4 as well as the Dexcom G7 sensor is recommended. Both of these are CGM sensors that estimate the real-time BGL values and display them on a receiver or a smartphone. This collected data is also presented in the form of trends and graphs, thus giving detailed insights into the patient’s health. When compared, both devices are up-to-the-mark in their performance, and the selection narrows down to the choice made by the patient or the doctor’s recommendations.

Considering their importance, CGMs are an integral part of diabetic care and are, therefore, needed within all the relevant healthcare facilities as well as in home settings. For purchasing different kinds of medical devices, including the Medtronic Guardian Sensor 4 and Dexcom G7 sensors, reliable vendors like Health Supply 770 should be approached. They ensure the provision of quality products along with satisfactory services.

References

https://diabetes.org/sites/default/files/2023-09/ADA-CGM-Utilization-White-Paper-Oct-2022.pdf