The wearable devices shaping modern medicine in the era of patient empowerment

Wearable devices have progressed considerably beyond their initial function as basic fitness trackers. They are now sophisticated tools capable of real-time biometric monitoring, which can significantly enhance patient care and streamline healthcare processes.

Wearables are also increasingly being integrated with mobile health apps that enhance their functionality and the user experience. For example, the Apple Watch Series 8 not only tracks heart rate and activity but also features an FDA-cleared ECG app that can detect signs of atrial fibrillation[i].

Advances in AI and 5G connectivity enable wearable devices to non-invasively track vital health metrics in real time. The integration of wearables with next-gen sensors and AI is also fuelling the growth of remote patient monitoring and telehealth. In hospitals, Philips’ eICU program uses a network of sensors and AI analytics to monitor ICU patients remotely, allowing specialists to intervene quickly when needed. Outside of hospital, cardiac monitoring devices, such as the Zio patch by iRhythm[ii], can record heart rhythms for up to two weeks, enabling physicians to diagnose arrhythmias without requiring patients to stay in the hospital.

Similarly, devices such as Dexcom’s G7 or Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre[iii] deliver continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), providing real-time blood sugar readings for people with diabetes, often straight to a mobile device. Further, miniaturised insulin pumps, like the Omnipod by Insulet[iv], can now discreetly provide continuous insulin delivery, improving quality of life for people with diabetes and helping to optimize their metabolic health.

Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs)

When it comes to diabetes management, CGMs represent the largest and fastest growing segment in wearables. Driven by increasing rates of diabetes, it is an area of significant advancement, particularly when compared to traditional self-monitoring methods. Providing continuous, real-time glucose readings, CGMs allow users to see both their current glucose levels and historical trends, allowing them to recognise patterns in their glucose levels and enabling proactive management. CGMs also alert users when their glucose levels approach abnormal highs or lows, facilitating timely interventions that can prevent severe hypoglycaemic or hyperglycaemic events.

CGMs enhance quality of life for people with diabetes by minimising the need for frequent fingerstick tests and allowing discreet, convenient glucose monitoring. Their user-friendly interfaces also make them easier to use, which helps improve adherence to monitoring routines. Indeed, clinical studies have shown that individuals using CGMs experience better glycaemic control compared to those relying solely on fingerstick measurements[v]. Additionally, the integration of CGM data into treatment plans has been associated with significant reductions in HbA1c levels, a common marker for long-term glucose control[vi].

Some CGM systems are now also designed to integrate with automated insulin delivery systems, allowing for more precise insulin dosing based on real-time glucose data[vii].

MedTech for consumers

With the growing trend of MedTech entering the consumer space, including through glucose monitoring devices, companies are responding by offering advanced, user-friendly technologies that bridge the gap between medical devices and everyday wellness tools.

Danaya Pratchayanan represents Technical Services in R&D at Elkem Silicones, one of the world’s largest silicone manufacturers and a key provider of healthcare-grade silicones to the medical device industry. She says that the industry is seeing a shift from a reactive to a proactive approach to personal health monitoring.

“[CGMs] are no longer just used by patients with diabetes,” she says. “Now, they're being used by a different subset of individuals who proactively want to track how their diet impacts their blood sugar levels and therefore their health. This is a very dynamic and quickly evolving space.”

As a result, companies are now marketing glucose monitors to health-conscious consumers. According to GlobalData, the glucose monitoring market is projected to experience significant growth, with estimates suggesting an increase from approximately US$5.15 billion in 2023 to $7.7 billion by 2030[viii].

Such growth is driven both by advancements in technology and the increasing acceptance of health monitoring devices for both medical and wellness purposes, with patient consumerism as a critical factor in this trend. As consumers become more engaged and informed about their health needs, they demand more accessible and user-friendly health technologies. This shift compels companies to innovate and cater to a market that values convenient, comfortable, personalised health management.

High-quality, biocompatible, durable materials

Critical to these trends are innovations in materials, such as the LSR (liquid silicone rubber) based Silbione™ EC 70 from Elkem Silicones. The long-standing track record of LSRs in medical device applications provides a great foundation for reimagining these materials that are inherently insulating into equally robust conductive polymers for wearables. But how does one get there without compromising LSR’s physical properties and biocompatibility?

Traditionally, addition of fillers such as metals and carbon black have commonly been used.  However, there are drawbacks  to such approaches that lead to limitations with widespread industrialisation and use.

With the innovation of electrically conductive materials such as Silbione™ LSR EC 70, the barriers to processing and retaining good properties were addressed through incorporation of CNTs (carbon nanotubes). Consequently, possibilities for designing smaller, more precise and flexible electrodes and sensors are now feasible and within reach.    

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[i] https://www.apple.com/healthcare/docs/site/Apple_Watch_Arrhythmia_Detection.pdf

[ii] https://www.irhythmtech.com/gb/en

[iii] https://www.freestyle.abbott/uk-en/home.html

[iv] https://www.omnipod.com/en-gb/simplify/omnipod-5

[v] Beck RW, Riddlesworth TD, Ruedy K, Ahmann A, Haller S, Kruger D, McGill JB, Polonsky W, Price D, Aronoff S, Aronson R, Toschi E, Kollman C, Bergenstal R; DIAMOND Study Group. Continuous Glucose Monitoring Versus Usual Care in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Receiving Multiple Daily Insulin Injections: A Randomized Trial. Ann Intern Med. 2017 Sep 19;167(6):365-374. doi: 10.7326/M16-2855. Epub 2017 Aug 22. PMID: 28828487.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28828487/

[vi] https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about-us/news-and-views/breaking-research-news-american-diabetes-association

[vii] https://dom-pubs.pericles-prod.literatumonline.com/doi/10.1111/dom.15920
Volume26, IssueS7, Wearable Devices For Continuous Monitoring: How Technology is Reshaping Practice and Improving Clinical Outcomes, December 2024, Pages 27-46

[viii] https://www.clinicaltrialsarena.com/news/glucotrack-eyes-human-trials-for-implantable-blood-glucose-monitor/