How Dexcom and Abbott are moving beyond diabetes with blood sugar monitoring
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 37 million people in the U.S. have diabetes. That's a little more than 11% of the entire population.
A diabetic's body doesn't make enough or any insulin at all. Those with the disease must regularly monitor their blood sugar. This has been traditionally done with glucometers, which diabetics use to prick their fingers over and over again for drops of blood. But over the last decade, technology like continuous glucose monitoring has been on the rise.
Abbott and Dexcom are the two most dominant players in the space. Both companies have seen increased growth.
The technology is also being marketed by several health and wellness apps as many companies see benefits for those who don't have diabetes.
CNBC spoke with both Abbott and Dexcom about the technology inside continuous glucose monitors and how they see it expanding.