It’s no doubt that Diabetes is one of the deadliest diseases in the world. What causes Diabetes is too much sugar in your blood or the body not producing enough insulin. Insulin pumps are computerized devices that copy the human pancreas’ work and help deliver bits of acting insulin in the body.
The use of an insulin pump is still one of the most efficient ways used to fight Diabetes. Other alternative medications for Diabetes include; Metformin, Glitazones, Starch blockers, and SGLT2 inhibitors.
Insulin pumps often work in two ways; one is they give a dosage of insulin every hour while second; using a bolus, which is the insulin you take for food, or to correct blood pressure. The insulin pump has various advantages as well as disadvantages:
Advantages of an Insulin Pump
Fewer needle sticks As compared to multiple insulin injections that should be administered daily to a diabetes patient, the insulin pump only requires a needle stick after 2-3 days. This means that an insulin pump is more manageable and comes with less pain for the patients involved.
Accuracy and precision
An insulin pump is more accurate in administering insulin as compared to other methods like shots. This means that a patient can’t receive an overdose or an underdose. This makes the use of insulin pumps more efficient in managing a Diabetes patient’s sugar levels.
Fewer sugar lows
An insulin pump is effective in treating patients with hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia refers to the deficiency of glucose in one’s bloodstream. The use of the best insulin pumps ensures that patients will have fewer or no sugar lows. This makes the treatment of Diabetes a bit easier since there are fewer cases of hypoglycemia.
Better management of the “dawn phenomenon.”
The dawn phenomenon is an increase in blood sugar that happens early in the morning from around 2 am, and 8 am. An insulin pump manages this condition by administering extra insulin to the diabetes patient early in the morning.
Easy to bolus
A bolus is a dose of insulin that patients take to handle a rise in blood pressure, and it’s often administered using an insulin pump. The best insulin pumps make it easier to bolus since it has the “easy bolus” feature. This feature makes it possible to quickly deliver the normal bolus, which is very efficient when dealing with a quick rise in a Diabetes patient’s blood sugar.
Disadvantages of an Insulin Pump
Cost
A new insulin pump costs upwards of $6,000 without an insurance cover. There is an additional $3,000 to $6,000 annually, covering batteries, sensors, and other ongoing supplies. This cost proves to be a bit expensive for many diabetes patients who don’t have insurance covers but so desperately need the treatment.
Inconvenience
Since diabetes patients are needed to carry an insulin pump with them throughout emergencies or a dosage, wearing it around the neck might be very uncomfortable for many people. This is because the patient is needed to carry the pump even during their sleep, which may be awkward sometimes. There is the risk of the insulin pump tube getting tangled or getting caught by other items around the house.
Skin problems
The use of an insulin pump might lead to skin rashes or even bumps for some patients. This is caused by the reactions to the insulin intake or from the insulin pump itself. A patient’s skin who uses an insulin pump can be irritated from the infusion sets when they’re on or when they have been worn for a long time. Also, if the infusion sets are not properly inserted, it can lead to various skin discomforts.
Ketosis
Ketosis refers to increased levels of ketone bodies in the blood. This is often a response to low sugar or glucose levels in the blood. The absence of an insulin pump for a patient who has been using it for a long time will lead to a quick rise in blood sugar levels leading to ketone bodies appearing in the patient’s blood or urine.
Conclusion
Insulin pumps are very efficient when controlling blood sugar levels for any diabetes patients making them very necessary for treatment. Due to their fewer complications and efficiency, any patient should consider using them to reverse their conditions.
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