Insulin Pump Basics
By Carlotta Jones

In less than one human lifetime, diabetes has transitioned from a universally fatal disease to one that's become manageable, and the management of diabetes has become more automated. One of the key improvements on this is the insulin pump, which allows a diabetic to put a pre-measured dose of insulin in their system without messing around with syringes.

A pump usually has a 2-3 day supply of rapid acting insulin in its reservoir; the reservoir connects to the body through a thin tube, which plugs into a cannula in your body, which acts like a lodged input port. Like the reservoir, the cannula has to be changed every two to three days to maintain sterility and avoid infections.

Insulin pumps store their insulin in cartridges, and work pretty much identically to an injection pen. Where an insulin pump differs from an injector is that it provides a constant low dose of insulin at all times (something that would be terribly inconvenient to do with a syringe). Around the time you eat or exercise, you can boost the insulin you get.

Now, this doesn't mean you never have to monitor your blood glucose levels - but it does mean that you'll avoid having the "insulin yo-yo effect" of putting insulin into your system, eating a snack and waiting for your blood sugar levels to stabilize. Some of the more advanced insulin pumps will actually give readings on your blood sugar level, but the technology isn't quite there to have them do monitor-and-release triggers.

Insulin pumps can be worn in the shower, and while swimming, through the simple matter is that there's no clothes to hook them on to in a convenient place, so few people bother. A concern of insulin pump users is that because they need changing every three days or so, it's easy to get out of the habit of having an insulin 'kit' around, with extra insulin pump cartridges for a quick swap. Of lesser concern is that the batteries can run down if you're not careful with them. However, compared to daily (or 'every meal time') injections, they're a great boon.

Most insulin pumps are given to Type I diabetics who do not product insulin in their own - the insulin pump's ability to give a basal insulin level is a great benefit here, because insulin is a regulatory hormone for a lot of other reactions in the body, and this greatly ameliorates the health impact of the condition.

Insulin is a hormone essential to the conversion of sugar, starches and other foods into natural energy and the regulation of glucose uptake into most blood cells. An Insulin Pump has a disposable reservoir for insulin (inside the pump). For a detailed description on Diabetic Supplies, visit ValueMedical.com.

Pros and Cons of Using Insulin Pump - Diabetics Must Know Before Using It
By Tehmina Mazher

Most people who have type 1 diabetes prefer using a pump over other methods of delivering insulin. A lot of diabetic experts suffering from diabetes prefer pumps over needles.

Here are five additional reasons that people who like the pump cite for using one:

• The pump delivers insulin to the body much like the pancreas does.
• One can adjust the amount of insulin by fractions of a unit and have many different amounts at different times of day. The insulin pump easily adapts to a patient's lifestyle.
• Taking a larger dose before meals is as easy as pushing a button on the pump.
• One can be more flexible with meals because he's constantly getting a small dose of insulin.
• That's great news for today's active youngsters. There's less risk of hypoglycemia because you are getting small amounts of insulin at a time

On the other hand, here are five equally significant reasons that people don't like to use an insulin pump:

• It's much more expensive than conventional syringes and needles.
• The pump is visible, especially when one wears less clothing on hot days. Also, if there's a blockage, an alarm goes off. Essentially, it makes diabetes more obvious to others.
• If the pump fails for any reason that doesn't set off an alarm, such as a leak, one has so little insulin in his body that he may rapidly go into KETOACIDOSIS.
• You need to monitor his blood glucose more frequently, sometimes more than four times daily, to properly use the pump. And right now, monitoring still means finger sticks.
• The pump is attached to the body 24 hours a day, making sleeping and physical activities like sports less convenient.
• Pump wearers who engage in sex may find the pump inconvenient because it's attached to the body.

Kids of all ages can use the insulin pump. Parents usually manage the pump until they feel the child can do it.

Insulin pump is best suited for those diabetic have the following characteristics:

• They're highly motivated.
• They're willing to stick themselves multiple times a day to check their blood glucose.
• They can afford the costs involved because many insurances pay only a part of the pump expenses.
• They understand how the pre-meal glucose and the carbohydrates about to be consumed are used to determine the insulin dose.
• They have a good understanding of the complications of diabetes, especially signs of ketoacidosis.

By keeping the above mentioned pros and cons, it will help the diabetics to to make a better descion.

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How Does An Insulin Pump Work
By Adrian Whittle

An insulin pump is a relatively new advancement in the way to administer insulin into the body as a means to regulate the levels of glucose in the blood. People that have diabetes often have to inject insulin into the body via a syringe. This can be painful and sometimes inconvenient to do so an insulin pump is a useful alternative. This article will discuss how insulin pumps work and some of the advantages and disadvantages.

An insulin pump consists of :

a pump

a disposable reservoir of insulin

an infusion set - tubing and a cannula that connects the insulin reservoir to the body

The reservoir of insulin is fitted into the pump. The pump is about the size of a cell phone and can be worn around the waist in a pouch or any other way that you find suitable. The pump is connected to a cannula via a thin tube. The tube passes insulin to the cannula that is attached to the skin. In this way insulin is passed into the body.

Insulin pumps pass insulin into the body in two ways. The first is a continuous passing of insulin into the body. This is used to maintain the level of glucose in between meals, exercise or at night. It is called the basal dosage.

The second method is referred to as the bolus dosage. This is an instant larger dosage that is generally administered before eating.

The pump is programmed to deliver the correct dosages based on the individuals circumstances. If the individual changes diets or adopts a new exercise regime the dosages and the times that they are delivered can be altered.

The insulin used in insulin pumps is fast acting insulin so it is believed to be a better alternative to most syringe administered insulin, that is slow acting, and is generally an approximation of the amount of insulin that will be needed by the body.

Insulin pumps have a better idea of the amount of insulin that will be needed by the body which is better for the long term health of the diabetic. They allow the diabetic more freedom and to eat or exercise when they want. They are also more discrete than a syringe.

On the negative side, an insulin pump has to be worn all the time so it might be inconvenient for some people that play sport or swim. Strategies have to be developed as a work around for these situations. Insulin pumps are more expensive than the normal syringe method of insulin therapy. Changing from slow to fast acting insulin may cause diabetic ketoacidosis if the fast acting insulin is stopped for some reason, like the supply runs out for example or the cannula gets detached.

Research continues to improve the pumps in terms of features and size. It is thought that ultimately an insulin pump will be the best method to deliver insulin therapy because it is a more precise dosage and is less obtrusive. As development continues the price will inevitably drop and make an insulin pump accessible to most people.

If you are interested in changing your eating habits due to diabetes then visit http://www.diabeticdietsplan.com . The site features many ideas on diabetic diets and supplies, including what to look for in diabetic shoes . Adrian Whittle writes about diabetic related issues including common diabetic symptoms and ways to cook for diabetics.

Dealing With Diabetes? Introducing the Insulin Pump
By Carlotta Jones

Like many Americans, perhaps you or someone you care for has been diagnosed with diabetes. That's serious news considering the condition will affect and alter your life. The good news is, technology has advanced significantly and has improved the approach to this way of life while maintaining quality of life.

The most common type of diabetes in adults is Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a condition where the body doesn't produce the right amount of insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps in the processing of glucose into energy. Diabetes can also be caused if the cells in the body don't process the insulin properly.

In the earlier days of the treatment of diabetes, your doctor would recommend the amount of insulin and how often to inject insulin into your system. It was more of a guessing game based on how you felt before and after eating. Then you would monitor the blood sugar remaining by testing your urine with test strips.

Then enter the age of glucometers. Throughout the day one could prick their finger and do a quick and easy check of their blood to see the level of the blood sugar. Once this was determined then an adjustment of their insulin injection could be altered accordingly. Glucometers have advanced as well, requiring fewer steps in acquiring and testing the blood as well as decreasing the discomfort of having to prick one's fingers.

The development of the insulin pump brings diabetics the most current treatment to date. An insulin pump is a device similar in size to a deck of cards that delivers insulin without the patient having to inject themselves with insulin. The pump can be attached to a belt or carried in a pocket. Attached to the pump is a plastic tube that has a needle or catheter that is placed just under the skin.

The insulin is then released into the body in two different ways. First there is the basal rate which means there is a steady trickle of insulin into the user throughout the day and night. Larger amounts of insulin called bolus doses are released to treat an expected rise in the blood sugar resulting from a meal or snack.

As for the logistics of using an insulin pump, the reservoir in the pump that holds the insulin is called the insulin pump cartridge. The size of the cartridge and the amount of units it holds can vary from 170 units up to 300 units of insulin. In determining the best size of cartridge you need is to consider how many units of insulin you require for three days.

There are definitely pros and cons of using an insulin pump. Fortunately the pros outweigh the cons when you consider it reduces the likelihood of individual injections throughout the day. Even more, a pump increases the ease of controlling diabetes which in return improves one's quality of life. On the other side, they can be expensive to purchase and operate. You have to adjust to being attached to the pump at all times, and there may be the possibility of gaining weight.

As with all decisions we take into account our personal priorities. Typically improving one's quality of life is at the top of such list. If incorporating the use of insulin pumps and insulin cartridges in a diabetic's life makes dealing with diabetes more manageable and comfortable, sounds like a good solution to diabetes. Perhaps you would like more information. Visit ValueMedical.com for all your diabetic testing supplies.

Insulin Infusion Therapy For Type I Diabetes - What is an Insulin Pump?
By Jenny Schweyer

Decades ago, people with Type I (juvenile) diabetes had to rely on regular injections to control blood glucose levels. Today, insulin infusion (also known as insulin pump therapy) has eliminated the need for painful, frequent and invasive injections for tens of thousands of diabetics.

Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disease. It causes the body to destroy the cells that produce insulin, a hormone which is critical to regulating the body's level of blood glucose. The disease typically manifests itself in childhood or the teen years (though it has been found babies and in young adults.)

Those with Type I diabetes must use manufactured insulin delivered through the skin directly into the body. Before the development of the insulin pump, the only way to deliver the hormone was by injecting it into the blood via a needle. Sufferers had to test their blood throughout the day, usually by pricking a finger and applying a droplet of blood to a test strip. The strip indicates blood glucose levels in the body, and determines whether or not an insulin injection is needed.

The development of insulin infusion makes delivery of this critical hormone easier and less prone to human error and the pitfalls of guesswork. Insulin infusion takes place through the use of an insulin pump.

An insulin pump consists of a small, digitalized computer, a cannula (or tube) and a needle. The needle is inserted just under the skin of the patient, usually in the abdominal region. It is typically held in place by an adhesive pad or strip. The needle is connected to the digital pump device by the cannula. The needle remains under the skin twenty-four hours per day, and the small pump can be clipped to clothing, usually a belt or pants waistband. The entire device is relatively discreet and is difficult to detect underneath a person's clothing.

The insulin pump contains an internal reservoir which holds the hormone. Instructions for correct dosage amounts and injection timings are entered into the computerized device. Once programmed, the device will deliver the hormone through the tube and needle and into the body as required. The pump can also be manually activated if extra doses of insulin are needed which have not been pre-programmed into the device.

Blood glucose levels must still be checked regularly. However, the need for manual needle injections of insulin is eliminated with the use of a pump. It may also reduce the total number of daily glucose tests that are needed.

Insulin infusion for Type I diabetes is a relatively new technology, but is rapidly gaining acceptance in the medical community for its numerous advantages, which include:

*Ease of administration: Insulin infusion has been a lifesaver for many Type I diabetes sufferers, particularly children. Children with Type I diabetes are able to attend school and participate in regular daily activity, and parents need not worry about finding someone to administer insulin to their child in their absence. Nor do they need to worry about a child going into insulin shock while at school. Parents can simply fill and program the pump and know that their child will receive the correct amount of insulin throughout the day.

*Convenience: Insulin infusion is not disruptive to normal daily activity. Diabetics need not take time out of regular activities to administer insulin.

*Dosage level control: Sometimes the amount of insulin a person requires is so small (particularly in the case of babies and very small children) that manual administration poses significant risk of overdosing. The insulin pump, on the other hand, can accurately deliver even very small amounts of insulin to the body.

Unfortunately, insulin infusion is considered to be too new a technology by many insurance companies. Therefore, many of them do not cover insulin pumps for diabetic patients. However, insulin pumps have frequently proved themselves to be life-saving devices, especially in children, and they are slowly becoming recognized as a legitimate and necessary form of Type I diabetes treatment rather than merely devices of convenience. Pressure from consumers and the producers of insulin pumps have caused some insurance companies to change their policies regarding the coverage of insulin pumps. It's likely that more companies will follow suit in the years and decades to come.

Jenny Schweyer is a freelance writer from the Pacific Northwest.

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