How Does an Insulin Pump Work?
We get asked all the time. "How Does an Insulin Pump Work?" So, rather than reinvent the wheel, here's a synopsis as found on the ADA (American Diabetes Association) website as well as a video from Focus Express Mail Pharmacy. Our thanks to them both!
"An insulin pump can help you manage your diabetes. By using an insulin pump, you can match your insulin to your lifestyle, rather than getting an insulin injection and matching your life to how the insulin is working. When you work closely with your diabetes care team, insulin pumps can help you keep your blood glucose levels within your target ranges. People of all ages with type 1 diabetes use insulin pumps and people with type 2 diabetes have started to use them as well.
How do insulin pumps work?
Insulin pumps deliver rapid- or short-acting insulin 24 hours a day through a catheter placed under the skin. Your insulin doses are separated into:
- Basal rates
- Bolus doses to cover carbohydrate in meals
- Correction or supplemental doses
Basal insulin is delivered continuously over 24 hours, and keeps your blood glucose levels in range between meals and overnight. Often, you program different amounts of insulin at different times of the day and night.
When you eat, you use buttons on the insulin pump to give additional insulin called a bolus. You take a bolus to cover the carbohydrate in each meal or snack. If you eat more than you planned, you can simply program a larger bolus of insulin to cover it.
You also take a bolus to treat high blood glucose levels. If you have high blood glucose levels before you eat, you give a correction or supplemental bolus of insulin to bring it back to your target range."
For more information insulin pumps or insulin pump supplies, contact Focus Express Mail Pharmacy.
