October 2016 Issue
October 2016 Issue
2016 Q4 Our Commitment to Innovation: MiniMed 630G with SmartGuard Technology
Our Commitment to Innovation:
MiniMed® 630G with SmartGuard™ Technology
BY FRANCINE RATNER KAUFMAN, MD

At Medtronic Diabetes, our main focus is bringing you the latest, most advanced technology so you can help your patients reach their goals. One example is the recent FDA-approved MiniMed® 630G system with SmartGuard™ technology, the newest member of the MiniMed family.
One of the most exciting features of the new MiniMed 630G system is the SmartGuard technology with Suspend on low, formerly known as Threshold Suspend. This feature uses data from the MiniMed 630G’s continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) device to not only alert the patient of low glucose values, but also automatically stop the insulin infusion from the pump when sensor glucose values reach a preset low limit.
Since its introduction, this feature has initiated approximately 1.5 million low-glucose suspension events in the U.S.* — 11 percent of which have lasted the full two hours. MiniMed’s SmartGuard technology helps to reduce the exposure to lows**—something we’re all concerned about for our patients. In addition, this technology takes us one step closer to an automatic or semi-automatic closed-loop insulin delivery device.
While technological advancement is an important initiative for Medtronic, we couldn’t do it without the help of diabetes educators like you. Your willingness to partner with Medtronic for the benefit of your patients is essential to achieving our shared goal of improving the lives of people living with diabetes through advanced diabetes technologies.
The MiniMed 630G system, along with other members of the MiniMed family of therapies, is a step toward our vision of working with our diabetes educator partners to transform diabetes care and provide patients with greater freedom and better health. These are exciting times and we look forward to continuing our partnership with you as new advancements continue to unfold.
Note: If you are interested in learning more about MiniMed 630G system with SmartGuard technology, please visit Healthcare Professional Website; Patient Website; and Loop Blog to hear what our patients have to say about the MiniMed 630G.
Thank you for all you do.
- *Data on file
- **As measured by sensor glucose readings.
- Medtronic Healthcare Professional Website. Medtronic Diabetes. http://professional.medtronicdiabetes.com. Accessed September 1, 2016.
- Medtronic Patient Website. Medtronic Diabetes. http://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/home. Accessed September 1, 2016.
- Medtronic Loop Blog. Medtronic Diabetes. http://www.loop-blog.com. Accessed September 1, 2016.
2016 Q4 The Next Best Thing: MiniMed 630G with SmartGuard Technology
The Next Best Thing:
MiniMed® 630G with SmartGuard™ Technology
“I couldn’t turn down that slice of birthday cake for my coworker’s birthday.”
“My child begged me to take her bicycling—how could I refuse?”
“I’m so scared of getting hypoglycemia after I go to bed, I can’t sleep!”

Life poses challenges, and your patients with diabetes rely on you to help them cope with the unexpected, whether it’s an extra treat, unplanned exercise, or even simply ensuring a good night’s sleep. You can’t always be there, but knowing that your patients are able to manage their diabetes on their own – with the help of the latest tools – is the kind of peace of mind that allows you and your patients to sleep well at night.
MiniMed 630G with SmartGuard technology is the latest in the family of MiniMed tools. It provides your patient with protection and flexibility to manage their diabetes day and night using the most advanced insulin pump and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems available in the U.S. today.
The improved SmartGuard technology on the new MiniMed 630G system helps reduce the risk of lows*, particularly at night when more than half of hypoglycemia occurs. SmartGuard technology automatically suspends insulin when the CGM detects sensor glucose levels at your patient’s predetermined low setting. You know your patients best; therefore you can customize the low limit values to fit your patient’s schedule and needs 24-7, giving patients the freedom to work, play, and sleep with more confidence that hypoglycemia won’t disrupt their routine, or worse, put them in danger.
Since the launch of the SmartGuard technology– also known as suspend on low, approximately 1.5 million low glucose suspension events have occurred, mainly at night. You and your patients both know how even mild nocturnal hypoglycemia can disrupt sleep, and you worry about severe hypoglycemia causing seizures or death. The added assurance of SmartGuard technology, offers peace of mind that everyone can rest easy.
Life is full of unexpected challenges and tremendous opportunities, and you’re always ready and able to help your patients overcome the former while taking advantage of the latter. Having the right tools can make life a lot easier, for both of you. You and your patients can count on the MiniMed 630G system with SmartGuard technology to provide better glucose control, protective action, and personalized diabetes management, and that translates into the confidence patients want in managing their diabetes care.
- *As measured by sensor glucose readings.
2016 Q4 MiniMed 630G System: How to Make It Work For Your Patients
MiniMed® 630G System:
How to Make It Work For Your Patients
BY ANN GOTTWIG, RD, CDE

Switching to a new integrated insulin delivery system can be a daunting task for a patient, whether they are:
- Ready to transition from multiple daily insulin injections (MDI) and standard self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) to an integrated system
- Already using a pump but want to add the extra safety and convenience of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)
- Upgrading their current pump-CGM system
No matter their circumstances, your patients rely on you to teach them to master their diabetes technology, so they can control their diabetes, instead of their diabetes controlling them.
MiniMed 630G system features an improved design that patients have been asking for: user-friendly menus and convenient features, including a simple user interface, full-color screen, expanded audio options, waterproofing, and remote bolus function. Check out some new key features below!
FOUR KEY FEATURES
The newest member of the MiniMed family, the MiniMed® 630G system with SmartGuard™ technology, may be the answer to your patients’ needs. Every patient is different, and you always tailor training to suit each patient’s unique circumstances and lifestyle. Remember to highlight these new features as you train patients on the MiniMed 630G system:
- Up to 8 time segments and low sensor glucose limits, including suspend on low, can be set, giving patients the ability to customize according to their lifestyle and needs.
- The MiniMed 630G system is waterproof, giving patients confidence that their system will keep working, even if it gets wet.
- The preset temp basal and bolus settings let patients adjust insulin dosing to different activities and circumstances, helping them achieve optimal blood glucose control.
- Patients can make informed management decisions in real time, as the pump home screen shows the vital information required for decision making.
Up to 8 time segments and low sensor glucose limits
Suspend on low stops the flow of insulin when sensor glucose (SG) values reach a preset limit, but that’s not the only thing it does. When using the MiniMed 630G system, your patients can customize low glucose alerts to fit up to eight different time periods, letting them tailor low glucose alerts to their clinical and lifestyle needs. As shown in the table, each time period can have a different setting for:
- Alert Before low*: on or off, alerts 30 minutes before SG predicted to reach low limit
- Suspend on low**: on or off
- Alert on low***: on or off, (if suspend on low is turned on, alert on low will also be turned on)
Low limits can be set in increments of 5 mg/dL between 60 and 90 mg/dL. One low limit is used for each time period.
Time Period | Low Settings Profile | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Low Limit mg/dL | Alert before low (Predictive) | Suspend on low (TS) | Alerts on low (Low glucose alert) | |
12:00A-6:00A (sleeping) |
65 | OFF | ON | ON |
6:00A-8:00A (morning/driving) |
60 | ON | ON | ON |
8:00A-5:00P (work) |
70 | OFF | OFF | ON |
5:00P-8:00P (driving/exercise) |
60 | ON | ON | ON |
8:00P-12:00A (home/dinner/bed) |
65 | OFF | ON | ON |
Waterproof Construction
Based on consumer feedback, Medtronic designed the MiniMed 630G system to be waterproof, meaning the pump can be immersed in up to 12 feet (3.6 meters) of water for up to 24 hours when new (i.e., at time of manufacture, reservoir and tubing attached). Previous MiniMed systems were splash-proof, meaning they could be submerged only for up to 30 minutes. A fully waterproof system helps patients feel confident in their insulin pump and diabetes control while participating in water activities such as boating or playing in the surf.† It’s a good idea, however, to advise patients to remove their pump while participating in water-related activities to avoid accidental loss or non–water-related damage.
†Please review the full description of the waterproof capabilities and proper care instructions found within the pump User Guide. (Note: the sensor/transmitter assembly is protected against the effects of continuous immersion up to 8 feet of water for 30 minutes at a time throughout the life of the product.)
Preset Temp Basal and Bolus Insulin Settings
A feature new to the MiniMed 630G system is the ability to set preset temporary basal and bolus amounts:
- Preset Temp Basal Rates allow a temporary increase or decrease in the current basal rate for recurring, short term situations such as a typical exercise routine.
- Preset Bolus enables the patient to create bolus insulin preset amounts for frequently eaten meals or snacks (e.g., if the patient eats the same thing for breakfast or always stops on his way to work for a frappuccino). Also meter allows the user to deliver preset bolus for increased convenience and discretion.
These additions further allow your patients to customize their diabetes management to meet their needs and suit different lifestyles!
Preset Temp Basal Rate | Preset Bolus |
---|---|
Helps to manage glucose levels during short-term recurring activities or conditions that require different basal amounts
|
Allows common bolus amounts to be pre-programmed
|
†See User Guide for details.
††NEW programmable preset or manual bolus can be remotely sent to the pump from the CONTOUR®NEXT LINK 2.4 Meter. Do not calibrate your CGM device or calculate a bolus using a result taken from an Alternative Site (palm) or a result from a control solution test.
Informed Management
Once you’ve trained your patients in the use of the MiniMed 630G platform, they’ll be using it to manage their diabetes on a day-to-day basis. The MiniMed 630G home screen provides them with the key information they need to make management decisions as new situations arise, including
- Sensor and pump battery life
- Insulin reservoir level
- Bolus amount, type, and time
- Amount of active insulin
- CGM sensor tracing plus current sensor glucose value and trend arrows (when using CGM)
The number of trend arrows also tells patients how fast their glucose is rising or falling:
↑ or ↓ | Sensor glucose is changing (rising or falling) by at least 1 but less than 2 mg/dL per minute |
↑↑ or ↓↓ | Sensor glucose is changing (rising or falling) by at least 2 but less than 3 mg/dL per minute |
↑↑↑ or ↓↓↓ | Sensor glucose is changing (rising or falling) by at least 3 mg/dL per minute |
This home screen information helps patients manage their day-to-day activities along with their minute by minute glucose levels, sensor and pump battery levels, and insulin reserves. Whether your patient is a marathon runner, juggling a busy work and family life, or a person with serious comorbidities, the MiniMed 630G system can help them deal with whatever challenges come their way.
TRAINING MATERIALS AND RESOURCES
Be sure to check out Medtronic’s available training materials, user guides, and other resources for healthcare professionals:
MiniMed 630G System Brochure for Healthcare Professionals
CareLink® Personal Diabetes Software
- *Known as the Predictive alert in MiniMed® 530G System.
- **Known as the Threshold Suspend in MiniMed® 530G System.
- ***Known as the Glucose alert MiniMed® 530G System.
- MiniMed® 630G Insulin Pump System. Medtronic Diabetes. http://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/products/minimed-630g-insulin-pump-system. Accessed September 1, 2016.
- Resource Library. Medtronic Diabetes. http://professional.medtronicdiabetes.com/resources-download-library. Accessed September 1, 2016.
- Better Control, Fewer Lows. Medtronic Diabetes. https://s3.amazonaws.com/medtronic-hcp/MiniMed%20630G%20System%20Brochure%20for%20Healthcare%20Professionals.pdf. Accessed September 1, 2016.
- Understand more about your diabetes with CareLink® Reports. http://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/products/carelink-personal-diabetes-software. Accessed September 1, 2016.