Insulin Pumps Part 1

For many diabetic individuals, monitoring blood sugar and taking diabetic medications or administering insulin every single day can be a chore. Now scientists have come up with an insulin pump.

The insulin pump delivers a constant amount (basal) rate of insulin 24 hours a day to control your blood sugar. One can program the pump to administer additional doses of insulin after a meal or to correct high levels of sugar.

The insulin pump is about the size of a thin wallet and can be carried on a belt underneath the clothing. A thin plastic tubing from this pump is then tunneled under the skin using a special needle. This tunneled site needs to be rotated every 2-3 days.

The insulin pump needs to be programmed for it to work.

Advantages of an insulin pump include the following:

- The pump controls your blood sugar levels without you having to worry about needles and syringes. Your basal rate is preprogrammed. If you do decide to eat an extra meal or have high sugar, all you have to do is press the button and a supplemental dose of insulin is delivered.

- Instead of giving insulin needle injections 2-6 times a day, you rotate the tubing site every 2-3 days.

- There is less time wastage and you do not need to carry a bunch of syringes and needles wherever you go

- In general, individuals who use the insulin pump have much better control of their blood sugars and hence fewer diabetic complications

- Individuals who use the insulin pump also have fewer incidences of hypoglycemia (low sugar).

For more information in insulin pumps, please visit www.medexsupply.com