Exercise Info in a “FLASH”

Problem: There is a need for innovative and actionable ideas to improve daily routine
disease management for diabetics.

Executive Summary: The solution presented herein is an active learning tool to

improve daily routine disease management and ease the mental and emotional strain felt
by Patients with Diabetes (PwD) during exercise. A portable USB flash drive with
customized computer software combines current disease management recommendations
from the insulin pump, glucometer, and continuous glucose monitor (CGM) with real-
time exercise feedback from a standard cardiovascular machine. The USB flash drive
systematically eliminates the guesswork and mental stress involved in blood glucose
management during exercise by tailoring precise recommendations based on real-time
data. This innovative and actionable idea achieves the overall goal—to encourage
timely, accurate, efficient, and proactive diabetes management.

Solution: Real-Time Exercise Monitoring System

Current Standard: Exercise is an essential tool in the daily management of diabetes.

However, unpredictable changes in blood glucose levels as a result of physical activity
make planning for and participating in exercise a challenge for PwD. PwD must pre-
plan their exercise, oftentimes hours in advance, in order to adjust insulin doses and
meals based upon the duration, mode, and intensity of the activity (Riddell and Perkins,
2006). However, even with planning, changes in blood glucose levels during physical
activity are often unpredictable and can alter performance or make it necessary to cease
activity when the individual would have otherwise continued. Stopping to test blood
glucose levels in the midst of activity or competition may hinder overall performance
and lead to frustration, uncertainty, and avoidance of future exercise.

Innovative Solution & Imp lemen tation Strategy: Eliminating the guesswork
involved in blood glucose management, particularly during exercise, would allow more
precise treatment options for improved glycemic control. A portable USB flash drive
exercise feedback system with customized computer software that combines current
recommendations (e.g., insulin dosing calculations, carbohydrate ingestion) with real-
time exercise feedback (e.g., intensity, duration, mode) would allow PwD the ability to
simply focus on exercise rather than diabetes management. A portable USB drive
containing blood glucose management software would plug directly into a standard
cardiovascular exercise machine and interface with the software already in place. In
addition to standard parameter read-outs (i.e., heart rate, blood pressure, calories
burned), the USB software would offer PwD real-time blood glucose management
recommendations during exercise. The USB device would receive feedback from the
insulin pump, glucometer, and CGM totaling the patient’s current glycemic and insulin
state. At the same time, the exercise equipment would deliver feedback to the USB
program on duration, intensity, and mode. The combined information would be
presented to the PwD directly on the cardiovascular equipment control screen thereby
providing real-time recommendations for insulin dosage, carbohydrate ingestion,
exercise intensity and duration. The portable USB device would store the information
collected during exercise and make it accessible at a remote location (i.e., home or health
care professional’s office) for follow-up assessment or future exercise program planning.
Implementation would require software development and licensing.

Benefits: The portable USB exercise feedback system is an active learning tool that
would eliminate the guesswork and mental stress involved in glucose management
during exercise by tailoring precise recommendations based on real-time data. This
technology would decrease the number of instances PwD experience exercise-induced
hypo- and hyperglycemia, which may in turn increase duration and frequency of
exercise sessions given added confidence that glycemic and insulin levels would remain
in check during activity.

Conclusion: The number of people with diabetes worldwide is expected to increase

from 246 to 380 million by 2025 (The International Diabetes Federation, 2006).
Exercise is an essential tool in the daily management of diabetes; however, there is a
stifling element of unpredictability. A real-time exercise monitoring system is an
innovative and actionable idea to improve daily routine diabetes management.

References:
1. International Diabetes Federation. The Diabetes Atlas. 3rd ed. Brussels:
International Diabetes Federation; 2006.
2. Riddell M, Perkins B. Type 1 diabetes and vigorous exercise: applications of
exercise physiology to patient management. Can J Diabetes. 2006;30(1):63-71.

DBMineContest11 Solution Submission Form | April 29, 2011

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