Artificial Pancreas Eases Monitoring Blood Sugar
Posted on July 28, 2008 in Current Affairs by Danteshwari
Researchers, presently focusing on an artificial pancreas believe that they can help diabetics to have a carefree way of monitoring blood and inject insulin when required. They feel that they are in a position to link the present technologies- glucose pumps and continuous glucose monitoring in the form of a seamless package.
Such mechanical pancreas would be able to reduce the requirement for fingersticks and injections of insulin that diabetics need to cope up with now. The researchers were addressing a meeting at the National Institute of Health.
Dr. Roman Hovorka, University of Cambridge, is of the view that one is on the brink of coming up with an artificial pancreas of a first generation. He is testing some of the experimental devices made of components from Abbot Laboratories and Medtronic, which is the No 1. maker of continuous monitors and insulin pumps.
The team of Hovorka has been testing the devices in those patients who were suffering from Type-1 Diabetes, which is an autoimmune disease, which occurs when the body by mistake destroys the cells that make insulin in the pancreas.
The implantation of a continuous glucose sensor under the skin is carried out, which helps to transmit blood sugar readings to the monitor. A computer helps in the calculation of right amount of insulin, which is supplied through the insulin pump, worn by several patients.
His team is prepared to send patients home along with the device, but needs to sort out the logistics of having a nurse on a full-time basis at the volunteer’s residence.
The regulators of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are associated closely with the researchers, hoping that the studies would design ways that could quicken review, according Dr. Aaron Kowalski of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, which helps in funding study teams that are researching on artificial pancreas.
Those suffering from Type 1 Diabetes need extra care to avoid fluctuations in blood sugar levels. If the levels go too low, then a person can faint and even die. In case the blood sugar is high, then it destroys the capillaries and in due course the organs. Those patients whose sugar levels go up regularly, eventually tend to go blind, or lose kidney function, lose a limb or suffer from heart damage.
This system would be useful to children suffering from Type 1 Diabetes. Parents have to wake up many a time to test the blood sugar levels of the children, according to Dr. Kowalski
Source:TOI July 28th,2008
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