Insulin

Some Enlightening Information About Insulin Resistance, and Insulin Resistance Syndrome

May 24, 2011 By ladiabet Leave a Comment

Believe it or not—I was astounded!—well over 60,000 searches are done online each and every month for the term insulin resistance. That means a lot of people are curious, and possibly concerned about this. As they should be. It also means that a lot of people are confused about it… and they shouldn’t be.

Here is some information that hopefully will clarify some of the “mysteries” surrounding insulin resistance and insulin resistance syndrome.

Most cases of reactive hypoglycemia (1) are labeled idiopathic, which means “unknown cause”. I believe insulin resistance causes most cases of idiopathic reactive hypoglycemia, and that insulin resistance is caused, in turn, by diet and heredity. Insulin resistance can be an early warning sign of Type II diabetes and studies have shown that Type II diabetics may have been insulin resistant for up to 12 years before diagnosis.

(1. By far the most common cases of chronic hypoglycemia are types of reactive hypoglycemia. Reactive hypoglycemia is also called postprandial hypoglycemia, postprandial syndrome or functional hypoglycemia and symptoms appear two to five hours after you eat. Postprandial, by the way, simply means, “after eating”.)

Insulin is supposed to trigger the acceptance of circulating blood sugar (glucose) into the body’s cells, but over time and with an over refined diet, your cells can become insulin resistant. When cells are insulin resistant, it takes increasing amounts of insulin to trigger the acceptance of additional sugar into cells in your body.

Unchecked, this often progresses to Type II diabetes when your pancreas just gives up after years of producing more insulin than it was meant to. Your blood pressure, cholesterol and tryglycerides readings go up, and you are now at risk of heart attack.

Syndrome X (aka Insulin Resistance Syndrome) is defined as insulin resistance with high blood pressure and high tryglycerides. If you have Syndrome X, you are also at increased risk of developing cancer.

As with almost everything, some people are more quickly affected by adverse conditions than others are. We already know that some people are more likely to get diabetes or cancer or heart disease. And this is at least partly because some people are more likely to have trouble with our over processed and over refined diet. This is the heredity component of insulin resistance. The more refined foods, especially sugar, that we eat, the more insulin the pancreas produces. No one should be eating the amounts of sugar that most of us do, but some people’s bodies can resist the effects longer.

Insulin resistance happens when your body has been overwhelmed with too much insulin for so long that your cells stop listening. For the cells of your body, a constantly high level of insulin is just like constant noise in your ears.

Over time, you learn to ignore the noise, and it takes a louder sound to get your attention. Your cells view insulin in the same way. It takes more and more insulin to get your cells to pay attention. When your cells ignore insulin and refuse to “open” to take in sugar from your blood, your pancreas simply sends more insulin until your cells begin to respond. The excess insulin has several effects. First, by the time the cells finally begin to accept sugar, there is so much insulin available that your blood sugar drops too much—hypoglycemia. Second, insulin resistance causes more insulin resistance, so eventually there is a lot of insulin floating around your system all the time.

All that insulin makes it difficult to keep your blood sugar steady. When the insulin resistance train has been accelerating on its track for a while, your body really isn’t handling sugar properly anymore, and you will have an “abnormal sugar metabolism”. One way an abnormal sugar metabolism will show up is in chronic hypoglycemia.

Processing sugar is hard work. Eating a donut or a cookie or a granola bar causes a blood sugar spike that the pancreas must deal with. Every spike requires the release of insulin to get it back under control. If we eat a lot of refined foods containing a lot of sugar, we find ourselves living on the blood sugar roller coaster. Abnormal sugar handling, over time, causes increased insulin resistance.

We know that a high level of sugar in the blood is bad. That’s why diabetics stop eating sweets and take medication. A high level of insulin is also bad, but more insidious. Insulin is not meant to sit around in the body all the time, and excess insulin causes a host of problems. For one thing, insulin is a storage hormone, so if you have too much insulin, you will gain weight because excess sugar is stored as fat.

Excess weight is a major risk factor for diabetes, and so is overworking the pancreas by producing too much insulin. In early Type II diabetes, the pancreas is working very hard to keep up with the demand. Insulin levels in the body are abnormally high, and your blood sugar may be alternating between high and low. This leads to full-blown diabetes when the over-worked pancreas simply can’t produce the amounts of insulin needed to overcome the insulin resistance of the body’s cells. This slide into Type II diabetes is much more likely in people who are significantly overweight. Sixty-five percent of people living with diabetes will die of a heart attack or stroke.

In addition to Type II diabetes, insulin resistance can cause an increase in blood pressure, “bad” cholesterol and tryglycerides. Dr. Gerald Reaven first recognized that these problems are linked in the late 1980s. He coined the term Syndrome X because no one knew at the time how these problems were linked or what caused them. But it is as clear now as it was then—this combination is a heart attack waiting to happen!

In his book, Syndrome X, Dr. Reaven states that Syndrome X “…may be the cause of 50 percent of all heart attacks”. Dr. Reaven also suggests that Insulin Resistance Syndrome “…affects between 60-75 million Americans”. More recently, experts have also come to believe that Syndrome X (aka insulin resistance syndrome) also increases the risk of cancer.

The more of the following risk factors you have, the greater the chance you have Syndrome X:

Overweight, a sedentary lifestyle, over age 40, non-Caucasian ethnicity, a family history of Type II diabetes, high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease, a history of glucose intolerance, a diagnosis of high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides/low HDL cholesterol, or cardiovascular disease.

This makes it very clear that whether or not you are hypoglycemic or have high blood sugar, you may be at risk if you have any of these risk factors. Consult your physician, and be prepared to change your diet and your lifestyle ASAP to turn back the advance of abnormal blood sugar, insulin resistance and Syndrome X!

Daniel G. St-Jean

Editor of Help For Hypoglycemia

Publisher of the Help For Hypoglycemia Blog

Daniel G. St-Jean is the Editor of Help For Hypoglycemia (http://www.help-for-hypoglycemia.com ) where you’ll find much information about insulin resistance (get the FREE eBook 22 Easy, Yummy, and Delicious Recipes for Hypoglycemics) and he’s the publisher of Help For Hypoglycemia Blog (http://www.help-for-hypoglycemia-blog.com ). Both provide information and resources for people with hypoglycemia. Note: this article was inspired by Roberta Ruggiero, author of Do’s and Don’ts of Hypoglycemia.

Article from articlesbase.com

www.PreOp.com Diabetes Patient Education Insulin is the hormone normally made in the pancreas that stimulates the flow of sugar – glucose – from the blood into the cells of the body. Glucose provides the cells with the energy they need to function. There are two main groups of insulins used in the treatment of diabetes human insulins and analog insulins, made by recombinant DNA technology. The concentration of most insulins available in the United States is 100 units per milliliter. A milliliter is equal to a cubic centimeter. All insulin syringes are graduated to match this insulin concentration. There are four categories of insulins depending on how quickly they start to work in the body after injection: * Very rapid acting insulin * Regular, or Rapid acting insulins * Intermediate acting insulins * Long acting insulin. Diabetes Patient Education * In addition, some insulins are marketed mixed together in different proportions to provide both rapid and long acting effects. Certain insulins can also be mixed together in the same syringe immediately prior to injection. A very rapid acting form of insulin called Lispro insulin is marketed under the trade name of Humalog. A second form of very rapid acting insulin is called Aspart and is marketed under the trade name Novolog. Humalog and Novolog are: * clear liquids. * They begin to work 10 minutes after injection, * peak at 1 hour after injection, * and last 3-4 hours in the body. Diabetes Patient Education * Humalog and …

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Insulin therapy in type 1 diabetes mellitus

May 24, 2011 By ladiabet Leave a Comment

Article by Richard Graydon, M.D, PhD

INTRODUCTION — The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) and other smaller studies demonstrated that improved glycemic control with intensive insulin therapy in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus led to graded reductions in retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy. The Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications (EDIC) follow-up study from the DCCT demonstrated that intensive insulin therapy also reduces cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. What was considered “intensive therapy” in the DCCT is now considered to be standard therapy for management of type 1 diabetes.

Optimal insulin therapy requires an understanding of insulin pharmacokinetics. A number of factors influence the pharmacokinetics of insulin, including: the insulin preparation, size of subcutaneous depot, injection technique, site of injection, and alterations in subcutaneous blood flow. These topics are reviewed in detail elsewhere.

Issues relevant to insulin therapy in patients with type 1 diabetes will be reviewed here. A review of its use in type 2 diabetes is found elsewhere. A general discussion of management of type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents is reviewed separately. Intensive insulin therapy for critically ill patients (who are not necessarily diabetic) is also reviewed elsewhere. Interactive cases focusing on insulin therapy are found elsewhere. A discussion of other medication (pramlintide) to be considered in the treatment of type 1 diabetes is presented elsewhere.PRETREATMENT CONSIDERATIONS — The term “conventional insulin therapy” is used to describe simpler non-physiologic insulin regimens, such as single daily injections, or two injections per day (usually a combination of regular or short-acting and NPH insulins, mixed together in the same syringe and given in fixed amounts before breakfast and dinner). The term “intensive insulin therapy” describes treatment with three or more injections per day or with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion with an insulin pump.Intensive therapy aims to provide a more physiologic profile of insulin by administration of a basal level of insulin (delivered by daily or twice daily injections of a long-acting insulin preparation, or continuous subcutaneous delivery of a rapid insulin preparation via a pump) and premeal boluses of a short or rapid-acting insulin. The dose of the pre-meal bolus is determined by the ambient blood glucose level before the meal, the size and composition of the meal, and anticipated activity levels.

Intensive insulin therapy is recommended for the majority of patients with type 1 diabetes. However, it is important to emphasize that this regimen will be successful only if the patient is fully committed to it, has good understanding of the regimen, and is supported by a health care team with sufficient enthusiasm and expertise to educate the patient and to continuously monitor his or her progress.

Drawbacks to intensive insulin — Although intensive insulin therapy has clear benefits in patients with type 1 diabetes and probably has benefits in those with type 2 diabetes, it is important to consider the major drawbacks associated with this regimen:

A greater effort is required by the patient to manage and coordinate diet, activity, insulin administration, and blood glucose monitoring. The incidence of hypoglycemia may be increased up to threefold in patients with type 1 diabetes.Weight gain is more likely, which can limit patient compliance, particularly in women.

The cost of intensive insulin therapy (00 to 00/year) was about three times that of conventional treatment, based upon an analysis of the DCCT and costs from the early 1990s.

In spite of these drawbacks, intensive insulin therapy is recommended for the majority of patients with type 1 diabetes to prevent, slow, or even reverse the development of complications.

When to start intensive therapy — Studies suggest that intensive therapy should be started as early as possible following the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. In 303 patients from the DCCT with early type 1 diabetes and residual beta-cell function who were randomly assigned to intensive or conventional insulin therapy, those receiving intensive therapy were slower to lose residual beta-cell function than the conventional therapy group (risk reduction 57 percent. In addition, intensive therapy in those with residual beta cell function resulted in a lower A1C, a 50 percent reduced risk for retinopathy progression, and a lower risk for severe hypoglycemia compared to those who received intensive therapy but did not have residual beta cell function.

CHOICE OF INSULIN REGIMEN — The approximate time of onset, peak activity, and duration of action of the most commonly used insulins are reviewed elsewhere.The choice of regimen is largely a matter of patient and physician preference. The basic requirements are a stable baseline dose of insulin (basal insulin) (whether an intermediate or long-acting insulin or given via continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion) plus adjustable doses of pre-meal short-acting insulin (regular) or rapid-acting insulin analogs (lispro, aspart, or glulisine).

In the DCCT, in which all supplies were free, patients in the intensive therapy group were allowed to choose between multiple daily injections (MDI) or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) and could switch between the two during the study. Fifty-nine percent of the patients in the intensive therapy group used a pump at least part of the time; however, the pump was used for only 34 percent of the time during the study. Glycemic control, frequency of severe hypoglycemia, and progression of microvascular disease were similar with either type of insulin therapy. Small trials comparing intensive insulin therapy using MDI versus CSII reported similar findings and additionally reported no difference in quality of life measures between treatment groups [6,7].Thus, the major decision in initiating intensive insulin therapy is whether the patient and physician are more comfortable with multiple daily injections or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusions. The choice between multiple daily injection regimens and insulin pump therapy should largely be predicated on patient preference and lifestyle.

Multiple daily injections — In the past, the most commonly used multiple-dose regimen (ie, “conventional insulin therapy”) consisted of twice-daily injections of short-acting (regular) and intermediate-acting insulin. This regimen was based on the concept that each of the four doses is covering one quarter of the day and results in a single peak of insulin absorption. This regimen is not physiologic and is no longer recommended unless the patient cannot or will not comply with an intensive insulin regimen.

Many different insulin regimens may be used to accomplish intensive insulin therapy. Some of the more common ones are shown in the table. The choice of basal and bolus insulins for a multiple daily injection (MDI) regimen depends upon patient preference, lifestyle, and cost concerns. Irrespective of the type of insulin chosen, these intensive insulin regimens should be monitored with frequent blood glucose determinations, at least four times per day.Insulin glargine — Insulin glargine is identical to human insulin except for a substitution of glycine for asparagine in position A21 and by the addition of two arginine molecules in the B-chain of the insulin molecule. These modifications result in a change in the pH such that after subcutaneous administration, glargine precipitates in the tissue forming hexamers, which delays absorption and prolongs duration of action. The time-action profile for insulin glargine has virtually no peak (graph 4), which makes it a good basal insulin preparation for intensive insulin therapy [8-10].The therapeutic advantage of insulin glargine over NPH is modest. In a pooled analysis of trials comparing glargine with NPH in adults with type 1 diabetes, the weighted mean difference in A1C was -0.11 percent (95% CI -0.21 to -0.02), favoring glargine. There was no difference in the number of hypoglycemic episodes. It is unclear whether the modest benefits of glargine compared with NPH merit the added expense and inconvenience of not being able to mix it with other insulins (sometimes requiring an additional injection, when compared with NPH regimens). In addition, long-term safety is unknown.

In patients with type 1 diabetes (but not type 2), glycemic control is similar if once-daily glargine is given before breakfast, before dinner, or at bedtime but there is less nocturnal hypoglycemia with breakfast administration. This was illustrated in a randomized trial of 378 patients with type 1 diabetes who received pre-meal doses of insulin lispro in addition to one of the three glargine regimens. A1C was similar in the three groups, but nocturnal hypoglycemia occurred in 60 percent of patients taking glargine before breakfast, 72 percent before dinner, and 78 percent at bedtime.Although many patients can achieve stable basal serum insulin concentrations with a single daily injection of insulin glargine given in the morning or evening (regimens 3 and 4; this is not always the case. In my experience, about 20 percent of patients with type 1 diabetes need twice-daily glargine. Insulin detemir — Insulin detemir is another available long-acting insulin analog. It is an insoluble molecule with a fatty acid side chain that allows albumin binding, which results in prolongation in action. Insulin detemir is considerably less potent than human insulin and is formulated so that four detemir molecules have roughly the same potency as one molecule of human insulin. Its duration of action appears to be substantially shorter than that of insulin glargine [15], though still longer than NPH (table 1). In one study, a detemir dose of 0.29 units/kg provided the same effect as 0.3 units/kg NPH, but with a longer duration of action (16.9 versus 12.7 hours, respectively) [16]. Like NPH, twice-daily injections appear to be necessary in patients with type 1 diabetes.Glycemic control appears to be similar in trials comparing insulin detemir and NPH. In a pooled analysis of trials comparing detemir with NPH in patients with type 1 diabetes, there was no difference in A1C (weighted mean difference -0.06 percent, 95% CI -0.13 to 0.02). However, insulin detemir was associated with a slightly lower risk of severe hypoglycemia and nocturnal hypoglycemia. These modest advantages of insulin detemir may be offset by its higher cost and unknown long-term safety profile.Rapid-acting insulin — To produce an insulin preparation with a faster onset and shorter duration than regular insulin, modifications have been made in the insulin molecule to prevent it from forming dimers and other complexes that slow absorption and delay action. The resulting rapid-acting insulins (insulin lispro, aspart, and glulisine) have an onset of action within 5 to 15 minutes, peak action at 30 to 90 minutes, and a duration of action of two to four hours.

In patients with type 1 diabetes, rapid-acting insulin has the following advantages when compared to regular insulin [17]:It decreases the postprandial rise in blood glucose concentration.It is more convenient because it can be injected immediately before meals, whereas regular insulin should be given 30 to 45 minutes before meals to optimally match the glycemic excursions after a meal. In addition, the action of insulin lispro is not blunted by mixing with NPH insulin just before injection, as is the action of regular insulin [18].Despite these advantages, the results from clinical trials have been somewhat disappointing [19]. In a meta-analysis of 42 randomized controlled trials (involving 5925 patients with type 1 diabetes) that compared rapid-acting insulin analogues to regular insulin showed only a minor benefit of insulin analogs in terms of A1C values [20].In a subsequent pooled analysis of trials comparing lispro or aspart with regular insulin in patients with type 1 diabetes, the insulin analogs provided a similar small improvement in A1C (weighted mean difference -0.09 to -0.13 percent) [11]. It is unclear if this small improvement will provide clinical benefit. There are few data examining the effects of insulin analogs on long-term diabetic complications. In some [11,21], but not all [18], meta-analyses comparing rapid acting insulin analogs with regular insulin, there was a lower risk of severe hypoglycemia with use of lispro. Although the risk of severe hypoglycemia was not significantly different in a pooled analysis of trials comparing aspart and regular insulin [11], there was a lower risk of hypoglycemia with aspart compared with lispro when the insulin analogs were administered as a continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion [22].The rapid acting insulins are particularly useful in addressing unexpectedly high blood glucose levels (eg, between meals or in the setting of stress) because they will lower glucose levels more rapidly and without the prolonged effect of regular insulin [23-25].One disadvantage of rapid-acting insulins is their higher cost [17]. The teratogenicity and long term safety profile of short-acting insulins in pregnancy are unknown, although many diabetologists do prescribe rapid-acting insulins during pregnancy.Choosing basal/bolus insulin — The choice of basal and bolus insulin for a multiple daily injection regimen depends upon patient preference, lifestyle, and cost concerns. In short-term trials, there may be a modest glycemic benefit of analogs over conventional insulin. However, it is of uncertain clinical significance and long-term trials with diabetic complications as endpoints are lacking.As an example, in an 18-week trial in 595 adults with type 1 diabetes randomly assigned to NPH/regular versus detemir/aspart, there was a small but significant difference in A1C values (mean difference -0.22 percentage points) favoring the insulin analogs.

About the Author

Richard Graydon, M.D., PhD

Website: http://www.medauthor.com

Dr. Graydon’s clinical experience as an medical doctor gives him practical experience with direct patient care, and a quick grasp of scientific concepts and a sharp focus on clients’ requirements. Having both medical and scientific doctoral degrees, Dr. Graydon’s education and training has provided him with analytical and practical skills for keen insight into drug development and research.

Insulin Therapy 101 – Insulin Injection Basics

May 24, 2011 By ladiabet Leave a Comment

Insulin Therapy 101 – Insulin Injection Basics

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Insulin Therapy 101 – Insulin Injection Basics

By: Michael Murphy
Posted: Aug 25, 2009

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Insulin is a hormone produced by your pancreas whose primary function is to lower blood sugar. It does this by binding to insulin receptors on the cell wall which open glucose transporters. Once the glucose transporters are opened by the action of insulin, glucose can flow freely from the blood into the cell.

If you are insulin dependent your body relies on insulin injections in order to function correctly. This is either because your pancreas is not secreting any insulin, as in type 1 diabetes), or else the insulin that your pancreas is making is not doing its job properly, as in type 2 diabetes.

Insulin Basics

Before we jump into discussing the various insulin regimens, I need to first explain two terms which you will come across frequently:

Basal insulin – This is the injection of a long-acting insulin which mimics the insulin secretion of the pancreas. A single basal shot of insulin continues to act slowly throughout the day, therefore you only need to inject it once or twice daily. These long-acting insulins are “peakless” which means that they try and maintain the same glucose level throughout the day, unlike the fast acting insulins which result in a rapid decrease in blood sugar.

Bolus insulin – A bolus is a medical term for a single dose. Bolus insulin is given when you eat food in order to counteract the rapid increase in blood glucose after a meal. Bolus insulins are typically fast-acting, some of which start bringing down blood glucose in a matter of minutes. They do not remain in your system for long, being metabolized and excreted out of the body usually within a few hours.

So, to summarise… basal insulin keeps your blood sugar stable in the absence of food, but when you eat you need to take a bolus of fast acting insulin in order to counteract the sudden increase in blood sugar which comes from the breakdown of carbohydrate into glucose.

When Is Insulin Needed?

Insulin is always necessary for the treatment of type 1 diabetes, because there is a complete lack of the hormone in these patients. Type 2 diabetics do not usually require insulin until the disease has progressed to a point where the patient has become highly resistant to insulin, or when oral antidiabetic medications are no longer enough to keep blood glucose levels down.

A patient with insulin dependent type 2 diabetes has to use insulin in the same way as type 1 diabetics. However, there is a difference in that type 2 diabetics usually have to take much larger doses of insulin than type 1 patients because they have become so resistant to the effects of insulin.

For many type 2 diabetics, the addition of a long acting (basal) insulin such as Lantus or Levemir is usually enough to provide enough help to assist the body’s own insulin in doing its job. If this is still not effective enough, a basal dose can be taken in addition to fast acting boluses of insulin at mealtimes.

Insulin Mixtures

These come premixed under certain brand names, a popular one is a 70/30 mix (70% long acting, 30% fast acting) called humulin or mixtard. These are usually taken before breakfast and supper.

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However, the combination of basal and bolus injections provides much tighter glucose control and is a more flexible system than taking premixed insulin. This is because you can vary the amount and timing of the bolus to match what type of food you eat and when you eat it.

With mixtures of insulin such as the 70/30 mix, you have to take it on a rigid schedule, and you can only eat a certain number of carbohydrates each day and at a scheduled time. You are not able to vary the timing of the injections because they contain both slow acting and fast acting insulin, and you are not able to eat more or less food depending on how hungry you are that day.

How to Inject Insulin

Depending on the insulin regime prescribed by your doctor, you may have to inject insulin via a traditional syringe. However, the majority of patients now are using injection pens which come pre-filled with insulin as they are much easier to use. In either case, the following basics apply:

Step 1: If using a syringe, roll the insulin vial (or the syringe itself if it has been pre-filled) between the palms of your hands a number of times before filling the syringe to redistribute any particles that may have settled to the bottom. This ensures an even concentration of insulin in each dose. The same applies to insulin pens, but they should also be shaken as most pens have a small glass ball inside which can move around and mix the insulin thoroughly.

Step 2: Choose an injection site and pinch the skin slightly. Position the syringe or pen so that the insulin is injected under the fatty layer of the skin. Note that a 45 degree angle is best for children and adults who are very thin, otherwise a 90 degree angle may be more appropriate.

Step 3: You should rotate your injection site regularly. Insulin is best absorbed through the abdominal area so rotating injection sites in this area is ideal. You could visualize your abdomen as a grid of 8 squares. Assign to each square a particular day and change to a new one each day of the week.

Insulin Injection Tips

1. Subsequent injections should be delivered at least 1 inch away from the previous injection site.

2. It is not necessary to disinfect the injection site with an alcohol swab as long as your skin is clean.

3. If necessary, insulin may be injected through clothing, but this is not recommended.

4. Never shake a vial of insulin as this creates air bubbles which can clog the syringe.

5. Never mix one type of insulin with another in a single syringe. This can make it’s effects erratic.

6. Try not to inject insulin into muscle tissue. It is painful and the insulin is absorbed too quickly and cause hypoglycemia.

Insulin Pumps

Insulin pumps are normally used in type 1 diabetes however they can work as effectively for insulin dependent type 2 diabetics also.

Some advantages of using an insulin pump include:

You change your infusion site once every 3 days, so if you have a dislike of needles, insulin pumping is better than having to inject yourself times a day.

You will use less insulin with a pump than on injections. Insulin pumps only use fast acting insulin which is more efficient than the slow acting types. Typically you use 20% less insulin when using a pump.

Because you have more control of the amount of insulin you take, if you are motivated, you can achieve much lower HbA1c (glucose average) than with injections. This improved control is due to the fact you can take doses that are not whole units, but fractions of a unit.

A new development in the area of insulin pumps is the advent of the artificial pancreas. This device combines an insulin pump with a continuous blood glucose meter, and automatically calculates how much insulin you need, minute by minute. This device is not currently on the market, but foundations such as the JDRF have invested a lot of money into it’s R&D. Human trials are currently underway.

Is an Insulin Pump Right For Me?

Not everyone is suited to pump therapy, and it usually reserved for cases of type 1 diabetes or insulin dependent type 2 diabetes. In order to be successful at using an insulin pump:

You need to be good at counting carbohydrates. You have to manually program the pump with the number of carbohydrates you are going to eat. It then calculates the dose of insulin to give you. You need to be comfortable working with technology. If you are unable to basic devices such as a cell phone, then the insulin pump is not for you. However, as you are reading this information on your computer, this is likely not the case. You need to be patient in order to give the pump a chance to impress you. It usually takes at least a week or two before your glucose levels reach a healthy level. It will also be at least several more weeks after that before you become confidant with adjusting the device. You need to have a cool head rather than anxiety prone. When your glucose level starts to seem a little scary you have to quickly figure out what changes you need to make. Your doctor will be able to assist you with the learning curve at first, but you will eventually have to cope with the device on your own as the lag time between seeing a problem and getting help is too long for another person to control your pump for you. Finally, you must be willing to test your blood glucose level with a glucometer about 8 times per day and more often when you are making adjustments to your routine.

Michael Murphy – About the Author:

Dr. Michael Murphy is an endocrinologist from Ireland. He has extensive knowledge on the topic of diabetes and has had many years of experience working with diabetic patients.

Visit BloodSugarSimplified.com for expert information written by a practicing endocrinologist. Up-to-date and easy to understand articles to answer all your questions about diabetes.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/insulin-therapy-101-insulin-injection-basics-1157825.html

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