Abbott Laboratories Inc. (ABT) has received Food and Drug Administration approval for a continuous glucose-monitoring system that allows constant tracking of blood-sugar levels to help diabetes patients manage the disease.

The FreeStyle Navigator system works through a sensor placed in the back of the upper arm or abdomen, and a transmitter that sends wireless information to a receiver device that is the size of a pager.

The approval, which came later than originally expected following a long regulatory review, vaults Abbott into a U.S. market that also includes Medtronic Inc. (MDT) and DexCom Inc. (DXCM).