Diabetes Insulin Pumps
For many people, an insulin pump—like the ACCU-CHEK® Spirit insulin pump—can offer tremendous benefits:1
- Improved blood sugar control. The pump is designed to deliver insulin in a manner that mimics normal insulin secretion—bolus insulin at mealtimes and basal insulin throughout the day and night. This helps keep glucose levels within the target range and prevents large spikes or drops in glucose.
- Enhanced flexibility. Insulin pumps allow users to adjust insulin at mealtime, potentially providing more flexibility when it comes to when and what you eat.
- Greater privacy. An insulin pump can be discreetly worn under clothing or on a belt – generally, a pump isn't much bigger than a PDA or cell phone.
- Fewer episodes of high and low blood sugar. With an insulin pump, you may be able to keep blood sugar closer to the range recommended by your healthcare team, helping avoid high and low blood sugar throughout the day and night.
An insulin pump may help you live with greater spontaneity while controlling blood sugar more tightly and helping prevent the long-term complications associated with diabetes.1
But the pump isn't a cure-all. It's an insulin-delivery system, and that's just one part of the equation. It won't test your blood sugar or watch the results. A pump requires additional responsibility on the part of the user:
- Frequent blood sugar testing. According to the American Diabetes Association, you'll probably still have to check your blood sugar at least four times a day.2 Your healthcare team can give you a more specific recommendation. After all, the pump works because when your blood sugar isn't on target you can make minor corrections. The only way to know if your blood sugar is on target is to test it.
- Testing for ketones. If your blood sugar is high, you may need to test your urine for ketones, a build-up of blood acids that can make you feel sick or cause diabetes ketoacidosis (DKA), a medical emergency. Some pump users are more prone to DKA because rapid-acting insulin doesn't leave medication reserves in your system.3
- Patience and attention. It can take a few months to get used to a pump. Working with your healthcare team, you'll start by estimating how much insulin you need, then fine-tune it as you go. You may speak to your doctor or diabetes educator every day for the first week or so while you get the details worked out.2
- In-depth education. It's important to understand how the insulin pump and all its components work, so you can troubleshoot them. In addition, you'll be learning how your body responds to insulin, food, exercise, stress and illness, so you can adjust your medication as necessary.2
- A back-up plan. For those times when you can't use your pump, you'll want to have syringes, back-up insulin and other supplies on hand.2
Find out more about how all the pump components work in Using an Insulin Pump.
1
American Diabetes Association. "Insulin Pumps." Available at: http://www.diabetes.org/type-1-diabetes/insulin-pumps.jsp. Accessed November 7, 2007.
2
American Diabetes Association. "5 Things You Should Know Before Pumping." Diabetes Forecast, May 2004. Available at: http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-forecast/may2004/pump.jsp. Accessed November 8, 2007.
3
John Pickup, DPHIL, FRCPATH and Harry Keen, CBE, MD, FRCP. "Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion at 25 Years." Diabetes Care, 25:593-598, 2002. Available at: http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/25/3/593? maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=continuous+25+years&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0& sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT. Accessed November 8, 2007.