Abbott's Libre® Technology is First Continuous Glucose Monitor Associated with Reduced Hospitalizations for Heart Complications in People with Diabetes

Abbott's Libre® Technology is First Continuous Glucose Monitor Associated with Reduced Hospitalizations for Heart Complications in People with Diabetes

• New data reveal a 78% reduction in cardiovascular disease-related hospitalizations for people living with Type 1 diabetes with prior severe low blood sugar episodes.¹
• This significant decrease is linked to the use of Libre biowearable technology compared to traditional blood glucose monitors.¹
• Results also show a reduction in hospitalization for cardiovascular complications in adults with Type 2 diabetes on insulin using Libre technology.²

ABBOTT PARK, Ill., May 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Abbott (NYSE: ABT) today announced results from its REFLECT real-world studies that show the use of FreeStyle Libre^® continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology is associated with a significant reduction in the risk of hospitalization for heart complications in people with diabetes. For the first time, data show that CGM technology can help lessen the severity of cardiovascular complications – regardless of a prior history of low blood sugar events or heart disease-related hospitalizations – in individuals with Type 1 diabetes.¹ Findings from the studies also show a similar reduction in heart-related hospitalizations for those with Type 2 diabetes on insulin using Libre biowearable technology.²

Diabetes remains a serious chronic disease worldwide, affecting approximately 589 million people³ and often accompanied by cardiovascular complications.⁴ People with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are 2-4 times more likely than someone without diabetes to develop heart disease, a major cause of death for both groups.⁵ While heart risks for Type 2 diabetes are well known, there's low awareness about heart complications in people with Type 1 diabetes. Adults with Type 1 diabetes who have had serious low blood sugar episodes are twice as likely to be hospitalized for heart-related issues.⁶ 

For people with diabetes, the REFLECT findings suggest that the use of Libre technology could also potentially lead to lower healthcare costs due to the reduction in hospital admissions related to heart complications.

"These results are remarkable, as we see dual benefits from CGM technology in managing diabetes and its associated cardiovascular complications," said one of the lead authors of the studies, David Nathanson, MD, PhD, Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden. "CGMs empower people to proactively manage their diabetes and make informed health choices through real-time, constant feedback on their glucose levels. This data shows that using CGMs is linked with significantly reduced hospitalizations related to heart issues, which can have a significant impact on patients, their families and the healthcare system by easing medical, emotional and financial burdens."

The findings also reveal that the risk of hospitalizations for cardiovascular disease was reduced by 80% among people with Type 1 diabetes with no prior history of cardiovascular disease when using the Libre biowearable technology compared to those who used a traditional blood glucose monitor. For individuals with a prior history of cardiovascular disease, the risk of hospitalizations was reduced by 49%.¹

"These data are transformative and show just how valuable FreeStyle Libre technology is for managing both diabetes and heart health, helping millions of people live healthy lives," said Mahmood Kazemi, M.D., chief medical officer for Abbott's diabetes care business. "With its heart benefits, Libre makes it easier for people to take control of their health."

The REFLECT research considered a range of cardiovascular-disease related conditions including non-fatal heart attack, non-fatal stroke, coronary artery disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation and cardiovascular death – conditions commonly seen in people with diabetes.⁷

"I regularly treat people with diabetes who have problems with their blood vessels, resulting in heart attacks, strokes and amputations," said Ramzi Ajjan, M.D., professor of Metabolic Medicine at University of Leeds and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. "These blood vessel problems, known collectively as cardiovascular disease, remain the main causes of ill health and death in people with diabetes. I am very excited to see data that show significant reduction in cardiovascular disease-related hospital admissions. It's great to see the clear, positive impact of FreeStyle Libre technology on cardiovascular outcomes, making diabetes management more effective and improving the health of our patients."

About REFLECT Studies:
The REFLECT studies, funded by Abbott, were real-world retrospective studies conducted using data from the Swedish National Diabetes Register (NDR), one of the largest and most comprehensive diabetes registers in the world representing approximately 90% of all patients with diabetes in Sweden.⁸

The studies, published between October 2024 and April 2025, assessed: 1) the impact of intermittently scanned CGM versus blood glucose monitoring on HbA_1c levels and hospitalizations in adults with insulin-treated Type 2 diabetes; 2) the impact of intermittently scanned CGM versus blood glucose monitoring on hospitalization rates for metabolic and vascular complications and HbA_1c levels for adults with Type 1 diabetes;⁹ 3) the risk of cardiovascular complications after severe hypoglycemia in adults with Type 1 diabetes, and the risk of post-severe hypoglycemia cardiovascular complications for intermittently scanned CGM users versus blood glucose monitoring users.

About FreeStyle Libre:
Abbott continues to pioneer ground-breaking technology to support people living with diabetes. The company revolutionized diabetes care 10 years ago with its world-leading FreeStyle Libre continuous glucose monitoring portfolio, which today is used by more than 7 million people across over 60 countries.¹⁰ People use Libre technology to see their glucose numbers in real-time, providing insights into how food, activity, or insulin impacts their glucose to help them make progress on their health goals. There is full or partial reimbursement for Libre systems in more than 40 countries.¹¹

About Abbott:
Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 114,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

Connect with us at Abbott.com and on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Product for prescription only; for Important Safety Information, please visit FreeStyleLibre.us.

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SOURCE Abbott