<unk> s are used to deliver insulin on a continuous basis to a person with type I diabetes. Advantages *Users report better quality of life (QOL) compared to using other devices for administering insulin. The improvement in QOL is reported in type 1 and insulin-requiring type 2 diabetes subjects on<unk> s. *The use of rapid-acting insulin for basal needs offers relative freedom from a structured meal and exercise regime previously needed to control blood sugar with slow-acting insulin. *Programmable basal rates allow for scheduled insulin deliveries of varying amounts at different times of the day. This is especially useful in controlling events such as the dawn phenomenon resulting in less low blood sugar during the night. *Many users feel that bolusing insulin from a<unk>  is more convenient and discreet than injection.<unk> s make it possible to deliver more precise amounts of insulin than can be injected using a syringe. This supports tighter control over blood sugar and hemoglobin A1c levels, reducing the chance of long-term complications associated with diabetes. This is predicted to result in a long-term cost savings relative to multiple daily injections. * Many modern "smart"<unk> s have a "bolus wizard" that calculates how much bolus insulin you need taking into account expected carbohydrate intake, blood sugar level, and still-active insulin. *<unk> s can provide an accurate record of insulin usage through their history menus. On many<unk> s, this history can be uploaded to a computer and graphed for trend analysis. * Neuropathy is a troublesome complication of diabetes resistant to usual treatment. There are reports of alleviation or even total disappearance of resistant neuropathic pain with the use of<unk> s. * Recent studies of use of<unk> s in Type 2 diabetes have shown profound improvements in HbA1c, sexual performance, and neuropathy pain. Disadvantages<unk> s, cartridges, and infusion sets may be far more expensive than syringes used for insulin injection with several<unk> s costing more than $6,000; necessary supplies can cost over $300. Another disadvantage of<unk>  use is a higher risk of developing diabetic ketoacidosis if the<unk>  malfunctions. This can happen if the<unk>  battery is discharged, if the insulin is inactivated by heat exposure, if the insulin reservoir runs empty, the tubing becomes loose and insulin leaks rather than being injected, or if the cannula becomes bent or kinked in the body, preventing delivery. Therefore,<unk>  users typically monitor their blood sugars more frequently to evaluate the effectiveness of insulin delivery. *Since the<unk>  needs to be worn most of the time,<unk>  users need strategies to participate in activities that may damage the<unk> , such as rough sports and activities in the water. Some users may find that wearing the<unk>  all the time (together with the infusion set tubing) is uncomfortable or unwieldy. * Possibility of<unk>  malfunctioning, and having to resort back to multiple daily injections until a replacement becomes available. However most<unk>  manufacturers will usually have a program that will get a new<unk>  to the user within 24 hours or allow the user to buy a second<unk>  as a backup for a small fee. Additionally the<unk>  itself will make many safety checks throughout the day, in some cases up to 4,000,000 and may have a second microprocessor dedicated to this. * Users may experience scar tissue buildup around the inserted cannula, resulting in a hard bump under the skin after the cannula is removed. The scar tissue does not heal particularly fast, so years of wearing the<unk>  and changing the infusion site will cause the user to start running out of viable "spots" to wear the<unk> . In addition, the areas with scar tissue buildup generally have lower insulin sensitivity and may affect basal rates and bolus amounts. In some extreme cases the insulin delivery will appear to have no/little effect on lowering blood glucose levels and the site must be changed. * Users may experience allergic reactions and other skin irritation from the adhesive on the back of an infusion set. Experience may vary according to the individual, the<unk>  manufacturer, and the type of infusion set used. * A larger supply of insulin may be required in order to use the<unk> . Many units of insulin can be "wasted" while refilling the<unk> 's reservoir or changing an infusion site. This may affect prescription and dosage information. Accessibility Use of<unk> s is increasing because of: * Easy delivery of multiple insulin injections for those using intensive insulin therapy. * Accurate delivery of very small boluses, helpful for infants. * Growing support among doctors and insurance companies due to the benefits contributing to reducing the incidence of long-term complications. * Improvements in blood glucose monitoring. New meters require smaller drops of blood, and the corresponding lancet poke in the fingers is smaller and less painful. These meters also support alternate site testing for the most routine tests for practically painless testing.
Insulin pump
Automated insulin delivery system
Lente insulin
Insulin aspart
Ultralente insulin
Pulsatile insulin
Insulin glargine
Inhalable insulin