Diabetes, a chronic disease that affects the body’s ability to process sugar, is a serious condition that requires careful monitoring. It can be managed with different kinds of insulin therapy, one of which is sliding-scale insulin therapy. Many have asked whether sliding-scale insulin therapy works like an insulin pump or if they are different. Here’s what we’ve found about this method of treatment:
Insulin pumps and sliding-scale insulin therapy are two very different methods of delivering insulin.
Sliding-scale insulin therapy delivers insulin that requires you to monitor your blood sugar levels and check them regularly. It is not the same as an insulin pump, so if you are considering sliding scale therapy, it’s important to understand how they differ.
Pumps deliver insulin automatically based on the information you enter inside the pump—for example, how much carbohydrates you’re eating and what time of day it is. Pumps also have alarms that tell you when your blood sugar is too high or low (although these alarms are not very effective).
Both insulin pumps and sliding-scale insulin therapy help control blood sugar levels.
Both insulin pumps and sliding-scale insulin therapy use insulin to lower blood sugar levels. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it can be more complex. How you administer your medication depends on your lifestyle, physical activity level, and other factors.
Both methods require frequent blood glucose testing and frequent insulin injections. Both methods require a lot of work on the part of the patient to be successful: It’s impossible for anyone to keep up with such an intensive schedule without getting fatigued or discouraged by all the time spent monitoring their condition and taking action based on those results—which is why some people end up choosing not to use either method at all!
Insulin pumps and sliding-scale insulin therapy cost about the same (though you’ll pay more for a pump in the short term).
Sliding scale insulin therapy and an insulin pump cost about the same per month.
The pump is more expensive in the short term, but you can save money in the long term. For example, you have to pay for a new pump every three to five years (possibly sooner if it breaks), whereas a vial of U-100 insulin lasts much longer – up to six months or more, depending on how much you use each day. However, if your insurance covers supplies like syringes and needles but not pumps or other equipment needed for sliding-scale insulin therapy, that could balance out more. It’s hard to say exactly what will work out cheaper over time until you try both methods yourself!
Insulin pumps are also more convenient and easier to use than sliding-scale insulin therapy because they’re always with you! They’re smaller than most pens, so they don’t take up much space either in your purse/backpack/briefcase or even pocketbook; plus, there’s no risk of forgetting them somewhere since they’re attached directly onto your body via tubing instead of being held by hand only occasionally throughout the day like pens do (and then probably forgotten).
Also, unlike pens which must be refilled with new cartridges every few weeks at least one time during a year-long period due to refill frequency depending greatly upon individual usage patterns, pumps only need regular maintenance checks done by qualified technicians once every six months, usually less often depending on individual usage patterns–which makes them much less likely get lost since there aren’t any cartridges involved either way!”
Sliding-scale insulin therapy is much more common than using an insulin pump.
Sliding-scale insulin therapy is much more common than using an insulin pump. Many people with diabetes can manage their blood sugar levels well with sliding-scale insulin therapy, but it has some limitations because it’s less accurate than a pump.
There’s no cure for diabetes, so both methods are long-term.
The good news is that sliding-scale insulin therapy and insulin pumps can be long-term solutions. But there’s no cure for diabetes, so both methods are likely to remain in place for life.
Both methods require regular monitoring of blood sugar levels and injection of insulin, along with regular blood tests to monitor the effectiveness of your treatment plan.
Conclusion
Sliding-scale insulin therapy and insulin pumps effectively treat diabetes in adults. If you’re considering sliding-scale insulin therapy for your diabetes, talk to our Diabetes Specialist about the pros and cons of this treatment option.
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