Insulin pumps have been shown to improve glucose control for patients who are on multiple doses of insulin and it can provide a better quality of life. An insulin pump delivers a small amount of insulin continuously around the clock. This can lead to major improvements in blood glucose control and offers a higher standard in diabetes management.

What is an insulin pump?

An insulin pump is a small, battery-operated device about the size of a pager that can replace insulin injections of patients managing diabetes. The insulin pump has a small cartridge called a “reservoir” which holds the insulin. The pump uses an infusion set with a tiny, soft plastic tube called “cannula”. The end of the cannula comfortably lies just beneath the skin. The infusion set is generally replaced every 2 to 3 days. The pump can be comfortably disconnected from the body during the shower, change of clothes or while playing sports. The insulin pump is easy and discreet to wear. The pump can be attached to the belt or placed in the pocket or under the clothing.

How does it work?

The insulin pump delivers insulin as “basal” and “bolus” doses.

Basal Rate

A small amount of regular or rapid-acting insulin is delivered continuously over a period of 24 hours. This helps to maintain the blood glucose levels within normal limits between meals and overnight. The pump can be adjusted for different basal insulin infusion rates at different times of the day, closely mimicking a healthy pancreas.

Bolus Dose

The bolus dose is an additional insulin dose delivered to cover meals or to correct high blood glucose.

Benefits of Insulin pump

• Insulin pump helps in better glycemic control –It almost mimics the secretion of insulin from the normal pancreas and helps in a tighter control of diabetes which helps to prevent complications.
• Insulin pump therapy helps patients to prevent:
  1) Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), which can degrade health over time and lead to complications of diabetes
  2) Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), an acute condition that can be very dangerous, particularly at night while a patient sleeps.
• The pump is precise and accurate –it delivers insulin precisely and accurately in 0.05 unit increments, which is practically impossible when using traditional injection therapy.
• More flexibility in lifestyle – The patient can adjust or stop insulin delivery for exercise or other needs. Patients with injection therapy have to follow rigid schedules of insulin shots, meals and snacks but patients using an insulin pump can program insulin delivery based on when and what they eat. Therefore, life is more flexible with insulin pump therapy.

Effectiveness of Insulin pump therapy

An insulin pump is an excellent tool for helping people to improve glycemic control. Numerous studies have shown that more patients who are on insulin pump therapy achieve their target HBA1C than those with traditional insulin injections. This will help them prevent long-term complications of diabetes.