Accurate and rapid blood glucose monitoring is critical for patients with diabetes. Over the years, insulin pumps have been introduced to eliminate the need for repeated injections, which can be inconvenient and painful for many patients. The recent development of insulin management systems, consisting of a blood glucose meter and an insulin pump, allows patients to manage their diabetes while significantly reducing the risk of hyper- or hypoglycemia.
OneTouch Ping by Animas
The OneTouch Ping system is comprised of an insulin pump and a meter remote: the meter remote communicates wirelessly to deliver insulin from the pump. The pump is waterproof so can be used when swimming or showering if necessary. The meter remote is functional up to distances of ten meters, allowing the patient the privacy of keeping the pump hidden under clothing. The system has a broad range of dosing options and a low basal hourly insulin increment of 0.025 U/hour. It also takes the user’s carbohydrate intake into account automatically to provide better blood glucose control.
OmniPod by Insulet
The OmniPod is a tubing-free device that holds and delivers your insulin. It is connected to a wireless unit named the Personal Diabetes Manager (PDM), which has an inbuilt FreeStyle blood glucose monitor, determines the dose of insulin to be delivered, and transmits this information to the pod. The PDM must be within five feet of the pod to program delivery of a bolus of insulin. The pod can hold up to 200 units of insulin, and it dispenses automatically at the touch of a button without any visible needles. Once the pod has been filled with insulin, the patient pushes the start button on the PDM, which leads to insertion of the cannula and allows continuous insulin delivery to begin.
MiniMed 530G System with Elite Sensor by Medtronic
The MiniMed 530G System consists of the MiniMed 530G pump and the Enlite sensor. The system provides continuous glucose monitoring by taking blood glucose measurements every five minutes. When the system detects a rise in your blood sugar, it dispenses small doses of insulin, as determined by the BolusWizard calculator. It also has an inbuilt SmartGuard protection system called Threshold Suspend, which suspends insulin delivery for up to two hours to prevent hypoglycemia if a patient’s blood glucose level falls too low. This feature is particularly useful overnight, which is when most incidents of hypoglycemia occur.