Interfering Substances and Risks
The following substances are known to interfere with the Dexcom sensor:
Substance | Dexcom CGM System | Risk | Recommendation |
Hydroxyurea Medication used in the treatment of diseases including cancer and sickle cell anemia. | G6 System G5 Mobile G4 Platinum | If you are taking hydroxyurea, your sensor glucose readings will be higher than your actual glucose, which could result in missed hypoglycemia alerts or errors in diabetes management. It can also result in errors when reviewing, analyzing, and interpreting historical patterns for assessing glucose control. The level of inaccuracy depends on the amount of hydroxyurea in your body. | Do not use your Dexcom CGM System for diabetes treatment decisions if you are taking hydroxyurea talk to your physician about alternative glucose monitoring approaches. |
Acetaminophen or Paracetamol Medication like Tylenol used to treat pain and fever | G6 System | Taking higher than the maximum dose of acetaminophen (e.g. > 1 gram every 6 hours in adults) may falsely raise your sensor glucose readings. | You can take a standard or maximum acetaminophen dose of 1 gram (1,000 mg) every 6 hours and still use Dexcom G6 system sensor readings to make treatment decisions. |
Acetaminophen or Paracetamol Medication like Tylenol used to treat pain and fever | G4 Platinum G5 Mobile | Taking medications with acetaminophen like Tylenol will falsely raise your sensor glucose readings. The level of inaccuracy depends on the amount of acetaminophen active in your body and may be different for each person. | Acetaminophen is contraindicated with the G4 PLATINUM and G5 Mobile CGM systems. Do not rely on CGM data if you have recently taken acetaminophen. Use alternative glucose monitoring approaches. |