Insulin Pump Management
Insulin pumps deliver insulin constantly. Intensive diabetes management with an insulin pump provides better glycemic control than conventional management. In addition to lowering the glycosylated hemoglobin levels, insulin pumps have been shown to decrease glycemic variability and lower the frequency of hypoglycemia.
How Does An Insulin Pump Work?
The insulin pump is a battery-operated device that contains a reservoir. The reservoir stores the insulin in this device and travels through a cannula tube into the patient’s body. Its insertion is right under the skin.
The insulin pump does not adjust to your changing insulin levels on its own. It provides you with insulin according to how you program it. Therefore, your doctor will work with you to determine the amount of insulin you need each day.
Benefits Of Insulin Pump
The insulin pump provides numerous benefits to all diabetic patients. The most prominent ones are:
- You can avoid multiple injections as you only need to change the infusion cannula or patch pumps after a couple of days.
- It is programmed to suit your insulin requirements.
- It helps maintain a balanced blood sugar level with more accurate insulin doses than regular shots.
- You can set different amounts of insulin intake for different times of the day.
- You can have a relaxed meal and exercise schedule.
- The continuous flow of insulin lowers the risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
- It may also give more control over the dawn phenomenon.
Insulin Pump Safety Guidelines
- Patients need a written guide to safe and accurate medication use when their doctor allows them to self-manage their insulin infusion devices.
- While diabetic patients are often well-aware of the management and operation of insulin infusion devices, it is still important to educate them about the organization’s policies and procedures regarding the self-administration and use of medication.
- Patients should communicate to the staff:
- Glucose testing results
- Symptoms or signs of unstable glycemic control
- Events that may need a change in the insulin infusion rate.
- Basal and bolus rate adjustments
- Signs of device malfunctioning
Who Should Use An Insulin Pump?
Insulin pumps can be a good option for Type 1 diabetes particularly. If you are facing issues sticking to a schedule for insulin shots, a pump can help deliver a steady supply of insulin to your body. While it is an individual’s own decision whether or not to use an insulin pump, we recommend you to use an insulin pump if:
- You are experiencing any delays in food absorption.
- You are planning a pregnancy.
- You want to pause your insulin doses while exercising.
- You face severe reactions to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).