Insulin
Diabetes is a disorder in which sugar levels in the blood become abnormally high due to a hormone called insulin, which is made by the pancreas. Insulin works to cause fat, muscle and liver tissue to pull sugar out of the blood. Patients with Type Two (usually written as Type II) diabetes have problems with the pancreas not making enough insulin, coupled with the body not responding adequately to the insulin that is made (a scenario known as insulin resistance). Although Type II diabetes can be treated with drugs that sensitize the body's response to insulin or signal to the pancreas to make more insulin, another effective way of treating this form of diabetes is to add additional insulin into the body.
Insulin Pumps
Insulin is a protein-based hormone. It cannot be taken orally because the stomach will break it down in the process of digestion. As a result, insulin can only be administered via injection, which keeps it out of the digestive system. Insulin can be self-administered using a syringe for periodic insulin boosts. This practice, however, relies on the patient knowing when to take insulin, and can also cause sudden spikes in insulin levels, which can lead to blood sugar levels dropping too low, resulting in hypoglycemia, which can be very dangerous. As a result, insulin pumps have been designed to release a continuous infusion into the patient, thus eliminating the need for the patient to maintain an injection schedule and avoiding sudden spikes in insulin.
Insulin Pump Mechanism
An insulin pump is usually worn outside of the body (mounted on the patient's belt or kept inside the pocket), and has a small tube (called a cannula) that is inserted under the skin to deliver the insulin. The pump is equipped with disposable insulin cartridges which typically contain enough insulin for several days. The pump is programmed to provide a constant influx of insulin. The rate at which insulin is injected can be adjusted on the machine. Because food intake causes a sudden increase in blood sugar, the pump can also administer "bonus" doses in which extra insulin is given for a short period of time to counteract this rise in blood sugar. Although the pump is designed for automated insulin administration, the patient still needs to regularly monitor his blood sugar to ensure that the pump is working and giving him sufficient insulin.
