Utilizing the Ambulatory Glucose Profile to Standardize and Implement Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Clinical Practice

Use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is recognized as a valuable component of diabetes self-management and is increasingly considered a standard of care for individuals with diabetes who are treated with intensive insulin therapy. As the clinical use of CGM technology expands, consistent and standardized glycemic metrics and glucose profile visualization have become increasingly important. A common set of CGM metrics has been proposed by an international expert panel in 2017, including standard definitions of time in ranges, glucose variability, and adequacy of data collection. We describe the core CGM metrics, as well as the standardized glucose profile format consolidating 2 weeks of CGM measurements, referred to as the ambulatory glucose profile (AGP), which was also recommended by the CGM expert panel. We present an updated AGP report featuring the core CGM metrics and a visualization of glucose patterns that need clinical attention. New tools for use by clinicians and patients to interpret AGP data are reviewed. Strategies based on the authors' experience in implementing CGM technology across the clinical care spectrum are highlighted.