ATILIM UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Instructor:

USING INSULIN PUMP THERAPY IN DIABETES

Başak Arıkan
Ecem Arıkan
Gizem Başpınar

Faculty of Engineering

Ankara,
Spring 2011
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………... ii

I. INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………… 1

II. ADVANTAGES OF CONNECTED INSULIN PUMPS …………. 3

2.1 Less frequent intections ………………………………………... 3

2.2 Reduced risk of hypoglycemia ………………………………… 4

2.3 Flexibility in lifestyle …………………………………………… 5

III. DISADVANTAGES OF CONNECTED INSULIN PUMPS ……. 6

3.1 Cost implications ……………………………………………….. 7

3.2 Limited clinical evidence ………………………………………. 8

IV. CONCLUSION …………………………………………………….. 9

REFERENCES …………………………………………………………. 10
 ABSTRACT

Insulin pump therapy, also referred to as continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII), represents

a revolutionary method of insulin delivery for individuals with diabetes. This report is an attempt to

examines the advantages and disadvantages of insulin pump therapy within the context of diabetes

management. In the first part of the report, the advantages of insulin pump therapy are discussed,

including the elimination of daily injections, reduced risk of hypoglycemia through precise insulin

dosing, and lifestyle flexibility enabled by customizable basal rates. In the second part, the report

addresses the disadvantages, notably the cost barrier limiting accessibility and the requirement for

continuous pump wear, which can pose challenges related to comfort and body image perception for

some users. Through this comparative analysis, the report argues that despite challenges, insulin

pump therapy offers significant benefits in improving diabetes management and quality of life.

Building upon findings of this research, need to remove barriers and promote more use of insulin

pumps to improve outcomes for diabetes patients.

Insulin pump therapy, also called continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) , is a method of

delivering insulin without injections.

Historically, insulin pump therapy emerged as a treatment option for diabetes in the.

1970s. (Rodgers, 2008, p.2). Early pumps, limited by technology, offered continuous insulin

delivery and bolus administration without injections. However, they lacked sophistication compared

to modern pumps. Adjusting doses often required manual manipulation with a screwdriver, and

boluses were administered as multiples of the basal rate, delivered slowly over about 20 minutes

(Rodgers, 2008, p.2). These early devices were larger and lacked adequate alarm systems, increasing

the risk of complications like diabetic ketoacidosis. Modern insulin pumps have evolved to be highly

sophisticated, akin to other electronic devices. They deliver insulin in very small increments, as low

as 0.025 units per hour, allowing for more physiological insulin delivery compared to multiple-dose

therapy (Rodgers, 2008, p.2). While safety features often require button-pressing to adjust doses or

administer additional insulin, modern pumps are much easier to use compared to earlier models. This

report aims to provide a direct comparison of the disadvantages in order to prove that the advantages

of insulin pumps. There are conveniences that come with using this type of treatment method.

Despite their disadvantages, insulin pumps can be a great benefit fort he future of human health.

To support the contents of this report, some boks, articles, and internet resources have been used.

This report is restricted with the comparison of advantages and disadvantages of insulin pumps in

order to prove that the advantages of insülin pumps overweigh its disadvantages. The first part of the

report focuses on the advantages of insülin pumps. The second part explains the disadvantages of

insülin pumps. The conclusion verifies why the advantages of insulin pumps

Overweigh the disadvantages.

Nowadays, some people suffer from different types of diseases due to diabetes. These people

need a certain level of the hormone insulin, which must be taken daily by injection. However, in

patients whose sugar level cannot be controlled despite taking insulin by injection, administering

insulin regularly throughout the day through a catheter placed under the skin is an ideal treatment

method.

2.1 Injector usage reset

Many people with diabetes use injectors into their bodies every day. This condition greatly

affects their quality of life because there is no way to avoid it. Thanks to insulin pumps produced

with developing technology, these people will be able to take insulin regularly without having to

carry a syringe with them. With this pump, blood sugar levels are regulated by regular insulin intake

through a thin tube placed under the skin (Rodgers, 2008, p.1). The person must always have this

insulin pump in his body. Tubes placed under the skin need to be changed at certain intervals

depending on the person (Rodgers, 2008, p.9). This way, most people feel more comfortable than

they did before having to carry a injector with them.

2.2 Reduced risk of hypoglycemia

One of the advantages of the insulin pump is hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia means blood sugar is

lower than normal.* A person using an insulin pump can detect hypoglycemia early thanks to

warnings (Rodgers, 2008, p.10). The dose to be given with the insulin pump can be adjusted more

precisely, which helps people who experience high levels of hypoglycemia (Rodgers, 2008, p.10). In

some cases, the person may not be able to intervene himself, for example, he may have lost

consciousness. In this case, he should get support from the people around him.
 2.3 Flexıbılıty in lifestyle

Since insulin doses can now be adjusted more easily with insulin pumps, the person's standard of

living has become easier. Thus, it has become easier to manage physical activities (Rodgers, 2008,

p11). It also greatly facilitated sleeping conditions. Thanks to the insulin tubes under the skin, the

time of eating does not matter much, so they can start the day more easily when they wake up

(Rodgers, 2008, p.12). In short, it provides great convenience in both daily life activities and sleep

situations.

III. DISADVANTAGES OF INSULIN PUMP IN DIABETES

Despite the significant benefits of insulin pumps are unfortunately not universally accessible due

to cost barriers, limiting the ability of many diabetes patients with insulin deficiencies to obtain this

treatment. Additionally, for those who can afford them, they must wear insulin pumps every day.

Therefore, these two disadvantages will be explained below.

3.1 Cost barrier

One of the significant drawback faced by users of insulin pump therapy is the cost implications.

This treatment results in a lifetime expense increase of $48,098 compared to individuals using

multiple daily insulin injections (Webb, 2006, p.67). The intricate manufacturing process of insulin

pumps results in high production costs, so creating barriers to access for many patients due to

financial limitations.
 3.2 Continuous wearing of the pump is necessary

Although insulin pumps can be taken off temporarily for activities such as showering, swimming,

or brief physical activity, they need to be worn for the majority of each 24-hour period to fully

realize the potential benefits of improved glycemic control (Rodgers, 2008, p.13). Wearing an insulin

pump can be uncomfortable, especially during sleep. However, it may help to see it as a part of your

body, rather than as an extra on your body. Using an insulin pump can be a significant challenge for

certain individuals, particularly due to concerns related to its impact on body image. Despite the

benefits of insulin pump therapy for glycemic control, it may not be the most suitable choice for

these individuals (Rodgers, 2008, p.14). Constantly wearing the insulin pump is a big drawback for

them. Using insulin pens are another choice instead of using insulin pumps for them.
IV. CONCLUSION

The findings of the report indicate several minor disadvantages that insulin pumps may cause,

such as mimicking the behavior of a pancreas and the challenge of constantly wearing the device on

the body. On the other hand, insulin pumps come with significant advantages. These include the

absence of syringe use, improved quality of life, and the ability to cope with serious negatives like

hypoglycemia. Based on this evidence, insulin pumps emerge as one of the best methods for diabetes

patients.

Considering all these findings, it is recommended that people be informed about insulin pumps, and

this treatment method should be widely promoted, especially among individuals who are at the onset

of type 1 diabetes due to diabetes-related conditions. It is also recommended that future researchers

examine the effects that may occur due to increased use of insulin pumps.