Insulin therapy

WHAT IS INSULIN THERAPY?

It is treatment of Type I and Type II diabetes with insulin.

WHAT IS AN INSULIN PUMP?

The insulin pump is a reliable and discreet device composed of a programmable electronic unit and a reservoir for the insulin. It allows continuously providing you with fast-acting insulin 24/7 via a sub-cutaneous catheter which is changed every 3 days, on average.

The insulin pump allows a better quality of life, reducing the injection site to a single location for several days and providing greater flexibility for eating and activities.

An alarm is integrated for reminders, or to indicate potential catheter blockage problems.

The pump’s job is to reproduce the functioning of the Pancreas and thus allow insulin delivery via two complementary modes:

• The basic flow (“daily insulin”) is programmed in the pump; a very low dose is continuously injected, 24/7.
• The insulin bolus (voluntary insulin injection of 2 types):
  • The meal bolus (insulin to eat) is injected at each meal.
  • The correction bolus (therapeutic insulin treatment) aims to correct a blood glucose level that is too high.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE EQUIPPED WITH AN INSULIN PUMP?

The specialist physician (diabetologist, endocrinologist, etc.) decides with the patient that a pump is necessary. The choice of pump and home health care provider is made with the patient and the treatment centre team; the date of hospitalization (which takes place over 5 days on average) is also chosen.

The doctor contacts the AGIR à dom. nurse who is in charge of showing the patient how to use the pump correctly.

Their missions are to:

• ensure training in use of the pump and catheters,
• provide the material necessary for use of the pump and its accessories,
• ensure proper use of your equipment, and your understanding of the treatment,
• respect the operational charter with the initiating treatment centres,
• comply with the rules of medical device vigilance,
• ensure service 24/7 (if necessary, replacement of the insulin pump in under 24h),
• communicate regularly with your doctor and his team.