Dexcom G7 Review (2024)

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Key Features:

• 60 percent smaller than previous G6 model
• FDA approved
• Customizable high/low alerts

In the realm of modern healthcare innovation, continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) have emerged as a powerful tool for individuals managing diabetes. These compact devices, worn discreetly on the body, are designed to constantly monitor blood glucose levels in real-time. Unlike traditional fingerstick tests, CGMs provide a continuous stream of data and display it in numerical and graphical formats that can be better interpreted. To be eligible for one, your doctor will determine if you qualify and prescribe one.

One of the leading brands of continuous glucose monitors is Dexcom, and its latest model is the G7. Well-known because of its small size, accuracy and efficiency, the G7 can be used by type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetics, making it a versatile product. Dexcom, and specifically the G7, can improve quality of life because it provides both glucose concentrations and daily trends in real-time. Rather than having to constantly do fingersticks, which can be stressful and painful, the data can be displayed on smart devices via Bluetooth.

The G7 is gaining popularity as it gradually gets added to consumer insurance plans and becomes compatible with more insulin pumps. Find out how the G7 is best suited to people with diabetes who desire constant blood sugar monitoring so that they can always maintain control over their condition.

Pros:

• 60 percent smaller than the G6
• 12-hour grace period post 10-day usage
• Warm-up is only 30 minutes

Cons:

• Not covered by all commercial insurance plans yet
• Does not connect to every insulin pump brand yet

What Is the Dexcom G7?

The latest CGM model by Dexcom, the Dexcom G7 allows diabetics to access their blood sugar statistics in real time. With the G7, no fingersticks are needed—unless one feels there is a discrepancy between how they feel and the number displayed on the monitor. Instead, it works through a small wearable that can be connected to places such as your arm. The wearable is able to translate your blood sugar and send the readings to the G7 app every five minutes. On the app, you can see your past readings, where your glucose is now and which direction it is heading in.

The Dexcom G7 can also be connected to both an insulin pump and devices such as your phone or smartwatch. Best of all? It can be connected not only to your devices but to other approved devices as well, meaning that you can loop friends and family members into your care if necessary. 

How the Dexcom G7 Works

The Dexcom G7 works by reading glucose concentrations every five minutes and displaying the data on devices such as your phone via Bluetooth. There is a metallic sensor that sits under your skin with a spring-loaded insertion device. The sensor creates an electrical current that is based on the glucose number. There is a receiver that picks up on the signal and analyzes it. The receiver is able to turn the reading into numeric and visual representations to clearly display the glucose number on apps such as the Dexcom G7 app or insulin pump devices. The app and other devices have the power to inform the user if their blood glucose number is high or low so that they can make informed decisions on when to take more insulin. The G7 is able to work for ten days before replacement is necessary. The G7 is the first Dexcom that also includes a grace period of 12 hours. This means that even after the ten days are up and you are supposed to change your Dexcom, the G7 is still able to keep reading your blood glucose number for 12 more hours in case you cannot change your current device immediately.

Who Is the Dexcom G7 Best For?

The Dexcom G7 is recommended for people over the age of two who have diabetes of any type and want an efficient and accurate way to view their blood glucose levels. “I would recommend the Dexcom G7 Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) system to individuals with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who require multiple daily insulin injections or use an insulin pump," says Soma Mandal, MD, an internist at Summit Health in New Providence, NJ. "It would be particularly beneficial for those who struggle with frequent hypoglycemia or large fluctuations in their blood glucose levels, as the device provides real-time glucose readings and alerts for high and low levels.” Mandal says that the G7 is designed to be a simple and less painful way to measure glucose levels. The G7 can also provide access to one’s blood glucose levels upon permission. This feature makes the G7 the right fit for many children because it allows parents to keep updated on their child's data.

However, Mandal notes the G7 is not the right fit “for individuals with diabetes who manage their condition through diet and exercise alone, or those who do not experience frequent episodes of hypo hyperglycemia.” In this case, the continuous monitoring provided by the Dexcom G7 might be more information than necessary. Furthermore, Mandal says, “It may also not be suitable for people with skin allergies to adhesive or those who are hesitant about wearing a device on their body 24/7.” The G7 could cause an allergy to those with sensitive skin.

The key to knowing if the Dexcom is the right management device for your specific case of diabetes is to go to your doctor and discuss what they believe the right device and prescription would be for you.

How Accurate is the Dexcom G7?

According to Dexcom, the G7 is not only its newest model but also its most accurate CGM. Accuracy for glucose monitors is usually measured by the mean absolute relative difference (MARD). It is the primary parameter that measures the performance of systems for CGMs. The lower the MARD, the more accurate the CGM is. The Dexcom G7 has the highest level of accuracy for a CGM cleared by the FDA with a MARD score of 8.2 percent. The prior model, the Dexcom G6, had a MARD of 9 percent.

How Much Does the Dexcom G7 Cost?

The exact cost of the G7 will vary depending on your healthcare provider. It is not covered by all commercial insurance plans yet, as it is a new device. Nevertheless, you are still able to use the G7 because it can be prescribed to your local pharmacy for $89 per month. Once the G7 is added to your insurance plan, the new price will automatically update.

Dexcom G7 Insulin Pump Compatibility

Since the Dexcom G7 is new, the insulin pump companies have not all caught up to the Dexcom and need to update before the two devices can be compatible.

Omnipod and Dexcom G7 compatibility

The Omnipod is not yet able to connect with the Dexcom G7, therefore, Dexcom recommends sticking with the G6 until Omnipod updates its technology. This transition should be soon, but there is no set date as to when this will occur. However, when the devices do work together, the Dexcom will send a blood glucose reading to the Omnipod. Then, the Omnipod will either increase, decrease or pause insulin being pumped into the body, which then allows for the Dexcom to monitor how the body reacts to the change.

Dexcom G7 compatibility with insulin pumps

The Dexcom G7 will be compatible with many insulin pumps once pumps update their technology to meet the new capabilities of the G7. It will be compatible with well-known pump companies such as the Omnipod, Tandem and many more.

Which Apps Work With the Dexcom G7?

Dexcom G7 app

The Dexcom G7 app is a great tool that allows you to track your glucose number on your device. The app is compatible with many Samsung, Google Pixel and Apple devices such as your phone or smartwatch. The app works by downloading and creating an account, allowing the app access to Bluetooth, putting the pairing code from the Dexcom applicator into the app, waiting for the warm-up time for the devices to pair and then customizing and receiving readings about your blood glucose. Essentially, it strives to make living with diabetes as simple as possible.

Dexcom Clarity app

The Dexcom Clarity app is able to pull your blood glucose number and analyze it to display the data trends. The app's main selling point is that it can be connected to a clinician so that your doctor can see the data. This ensures the next doctor's visit is more efficient because the app provides easy access to the patient's information and glucose trends.

Dexcom Follow app

The Dexcom Follow app is a tool that allows family and friends access to their loved ones' blood glucose data. This is a great application the parents of kids who use this CGM, and want to help their kids if their glucose number is looking too high or low. It is also beneficial at any age because nobody should have to tackle diabetes alone and the Follow app provides backup in case the diabetic person themselves is not able to attend to their blood glucose and make the changes needed to stabilize it at a given time.

User Reviews of the Dexcom G7

The Dexcom G7 has received high praise from users. Natalie, a reviewer on the Dexcom website, says, “I always found the Dexcom G6 to be very good, so that was a benchmark for me. The Dexcom G7 matched and surpassed it in my opinion. The major difference I encountered is that the 10-day transmitter, which matches the battery life of the sensor, gives even more accurate readings!” Other Dexcom G7 users are pleased with the accuracy of the product and many reviews also mention their love of the smaller size of the product as well.

There are not a ton of reviews on the website as the G7 is a newer product. However, as the G7 becomes compatible with more insulin pumps and is incorporated into more insurance plans, there will be more customer opinions.

How the Dexcom G7 Compares To Other Products

Dexcom G7 vs. Abbott's Freestyle Libre 3

Both Abbott's Freestyle Libre 3 and the Dexcom G7 are considered highly effective blood glucose monitors. One of the major differences between the two products is in the monitor. The Freestyle Libre 3 provides glucose readings every minute while the Dexcom’s readings are every five minutes. Further, a Dexcom-funded study published in Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics that used glycemic challenges to evaluate accuracy found the Dexcom G7 to have a MARD score of 8.2 percent. Meanwhile, an Abbott-funded study showed the Freestyle Libre 3 to have a MARD of 7.9 percent,  making it slightly more accurate.

Further, Abbott's Freestyle Libre 3 can be worn for 14 days, while the Dexcom G7 can only be worn for 10. Yet, the G7 has a 12-hour grace period and the Abbott's Freestyle Libre 3 does not have any grace period. Since both options are great ways to manage diabetes, the best way to decide which is best for you is to consult your doctor and let them prescribe what they think is the best CGM for your specific diabetic needs.

Dexcom G6 vs. Dexcom G7

The Dexcom G7 is 60 percent the size of the G6 and appears flatter against the skin as well. When compared to the G6, the G7 can continue to operate for an additional 12 hours past its 10-day replacement period, while the G6 stops working pretty quickly after the 10 days.

The G7 also only takes 30 minutes to warm up compared to the two hours the G6 requires. As to which is cheaper, the price is dependent on the medical provider and insurance plan so there is not a concrete answer. “One of the pros to the G7 is that there isn't a separate transmitter, so it is a one-and-done piece of equipment," says Natasha I. Leibel, MD, a pediatric endocrinologist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. "The whole thing goes in and in ten days the whole thing comes out and gets discarded. Versus the G6, which requires the transmitter to be clipped out and then reinserted into the next sensor. Occasionally people would lose the transmitter or discard it by mistake with the G6.”

Dexcom G7 FAQs

Which is better, the Dexcom G6 or G7?

While the Dexcom G6 and G7 have similar features, if you are looking for something smaller and more modern the G7 may be better. However, if you don't care as much about a grace period or customizable high/low alerts then the G6 may be better for you. Either way, your doctor will figure out which is best for you and help you get a prescription.

How often does the Dexcom G7 need to be replaced?

The Dexcom G7 can be worn for 10 days. It also includes a 12-hour grace period before it needs to be replaced.

Do I need to calibrate my Dexcom G7?

“The Dexcom is factory calibrated and should not require any additional calibration steps during use,” says Leibel. Calibration seems to be uncommon as people seem to have success with the calibration completed by the factory. However, if you do choose to calibrate the G7, you can mark it as an event with the G7 app to help keep your blood glucose data organized.

How often does Dexcom G7 check blood sugar?

The Dexcom G7 measures glucose levels so that you can see your blood sugar in real time. “The Dexcom G7 is designed to automatically monitor blood glucose levels every five minutes, or up to 288 times per day,” says Mandal.

Final Thoughts

A good choice for diabetics who seek an efficient, simple and constant way to manage their diabetes, Dexcom’s upgrade from the G6 to the G7 is one worth taking advantage of. In comparison to the G6, users commented that they liked the new size of the monitor and that glucose readings were more accurate.

If you’re interested in trying the Dexcom G7, “You need to talk to your primary healthcare provider to see if it’s a good fit for you and your healthcare needs," says Karla Robinson, MD, a board-certified family physician at GoodRx. "If so, your provider will issue a prescription that you can use to get the device and necessary supplies from your local pharmacy. If you’re uncertain about making the switch, you can do a free trial before upgrading from Dexcom G6 to G7.”

That said, the G7 is not fully rolled out yet as it is still waiting on some insurance companies to add it to their plans as well as insulin pump brands to update their systems to be compatible with the G7. When these changes are made, the G7 is expected to dominate the CGM market since it will likely be prescribed by more medical providers.

Prices are accurate and items in stock as of publish time.