An insulin pump is a small device that provides the body with a steady supply of insulin through a plastic tube and cannula. The diabetes patient can control his glucose levels at any time with some models, while the pump takes over the tasks of a healthy pancreas. However, using an insulin pump is not easy for beginners and requires extensive training. The pump is not stopped automatically, so there is a danger if a patient does not notice hypoglycemia and becomes unconscious.
What is the insulin pump?
An insulin pump is a small device that provides a steady supply of insulin to the body through a plastic tube and cannula. An insulin pump provides insulin to people with diabetes. The device is about the size of a cell phone and can be attached to a belt, bra, or other clothing with the help of a clip. This device is particularly suitable for type 1 diabetics. However, type 2 diabetics can also get the insulin pump if other therapy methods have failed. The insulin delivered covers the body’s basal requirement throughout the day. The patient can then add any additional insulin needed to his or her body by pressing a button. The catheter that pumps the insulin into the subcutaneous fat tissue usually needs to be replaced about every two days. An insulin pump is fitted to the respective patient on an inpatient or outpatient basis in a hospital or a specialist diabetology practice. There, the operation, use and handling of any malfunctions are trained in detail. At least six months of experience with ICT insulin therapy and an HbA1c value below 10% are prerequisites for meaningful therapy with an insulin pump.
Function, effect, and goals
All insulin pumps are used with rapid-acting regular or analog insulin. A narrow plastic catheter delivers insulin to the subcutaneous fat tissue at intervals of a few minutes. The physician determines the amount of insulin needed after a thorough examination. The pump can be programmed to deliver a different amount of insulin every hour. In addition, the delivery can be adjusted to best suit individual needs by pressing a button. This makes it possible to administer insulin quite inconspicuously, even in public. Just as with conventional ICT insulin therapy, the patient must regularly measure and actively correct his or her blood glucose level several times a day. The various pump models from Germany are all easy to use and very reliable. They have an alarm function that indicates when there is too little insulin in the ampoule, as well as a comprehensive data memory. In addition, there are different additional functions depending on the model. Different programs can be set to suit different daily routines. The insulin pump is particularly suitable for type 1 diabetics, as these patients need to be supplied with insulin around the clock. Approximately one-third of young children with diabetes now also wear an insulin pump. Overall, the number of people being treated with the aid of an insulin pump is rising steadily. Already 10 percent of all people with type 1 diabetes use this pump. The main advantage of the insulin pump over conventional ICT insulin therapy is that the pump constantly delivers small amounts of fast-acting insulin, eliminating the need for insulin injections with a pen. This means that therapy with the insulin pump offers greater flexibility and thus a better quality of life. Shift workers, athletes or people with an irregular daily routine benefit from insulin pump therapy in particular. Because the pumps are only about the size of a cell phone and weigh approximately 120 grams, they can be easily concealed under clothing. The pump can be attached to a belt, bra or specially made inner pockets on various items of clothing. Currently, there are conventional insulin pumps as well as the insulin patch pump. With the conventional pump, it is worn on the body. A tube and cannula connect the pump to the body. The insulin patch pump does not require a tube and thus provides more freedom of movement. It consists of a “pod” that is stuck to the skin and a “Personal Diabetes Manager” that can be used to control the pod.The goal of research for therapies for diabetics is an artificial pancreas that independently measures glucose levels in the body and delivers insulin to the body accordingly.
Risks, side effects, and dangers
An insulin pump cannot replace the function of a healthy pancreas and is also not suitable for every type of diabetes. By not automatically detecting blood glucose levels, the patient is still dependent on checking his or her levels at least four times a day. In addition, the diabetic must be thoroughly familiar with the operation and functions of the insulin pump. If the device fails to function correctly in the meantime due to clogging or misinformation, the insulin pump user must be able to switch to conventional ICT insulin therapy. Since the insulin pump constantly delivers small amounts of insulin to the body, it can become a danger if the patient faints due to hypoglycemia, as the added insulin intensifies this hypoglycemia. Some patients are also unhappy with the fact that they can see their illness because of this pump. Since it is attached to the body 24 hours a day by a tube, they feel that they are less attractive. Moreover, the wearer of the insulin pump must additionally deal with the complicated handling and be motivated to learn how to use this technology, since he or she is heavily dependent on it.
