Insulin
level: New device optimises it automatically
A new technology promising hope to type I
diabetic patients was introduced by diabetologist Dr Abhay Mutha in the city on
Wednesday.
The device called the ‘MiniMed Paradigm insulin
pump’ can suspend insulin delivery when the device senses that glucose levels
have fallen or is below a user-selected threshold. This feature is intended to
reduce the severity of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) in situations where
patients ignore or are unable to treat it.
Insulin pumps are pager-like devices attached to
the front wall of the abdomen of a patient. The machine has a supply of insulin
and patients don’t have to remember when to take doses as insulin gets injected
regularly.
Dr Abhay Mutha said, “Insulin pumps are being
recommended for growing number of people with type-1 and type-2 diabetes. This
new device is the first big step towards ‘closing the loop’ in diabetes
management. Unlike other pumps available in market, this device has a
integrated continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system. It enables the detection
of dangerously low glucose levels and can automatically suspend insulin
delivery by the pump, thereby preventing severe hypoglycemia event in the
patients.”
He added that pregnant mothers having diabetes
can benefit from such technology to optimise their insulin level.
He said, “If patient’s glucose levels have
dropped below a defined threshold, the device alarms to alert the patient. If these
alarms are ignored, the insulin pump automatically suspends insulin delivery up
to two hours. This helps to protect the patient against potentially dangerous
hypoglycemic,” added Mutha.
However, he accepted that the cost of the device
(nearly Rs3.6lakh) is prohibitive for most patients. “Through our NGO, we give
away about 7-8 insulin pumps annually, but we agree that many patients cannot
afford the pumps,” he said.
Source: www.dnaindia.com
10.11.2012
‘Mindful Eating’ crucial for blood
sugar in diabetics
Eating mindfully, or consuming food
in response to physical cues of hunger and fullness, is equally effective as
adhering to nutrition-based guidelines in reducing weight and blood sugar
levels in adults with Type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests.
In a comparison study of the effectiveness of the two types of behavioral interventions, participants lost about the same amount of weight - an average of between 3 1/2 and 6 pounds - and lowered their long-term blood sugar levels significantly after three months.
One treatment group followed an established diabetes self-management education program, with a strong emphasis on nutrition information. The other group was trained in mindful meditation and a mindful approach to food selection and eating. Both interventions, involving weekly group meetings, also recommended physical activity.
"The more traditional education program includes general information about diabetes, but with more emphasis on nutrition and food choice: What are different types of carbohydrates and fats and how many am I supposed to have? What should I look for when I read a food label? What are healthy options when dining out? That was the traditional diabetes education program," said Carla Miller, associate professor of human nutrition at Ohio State University and lead author of the study.
"We compared it to an intervention where mindful meditation was applied specifically to eating and food choices. This intervention group did not receive specific nutrition goals. We said we want you to really tune into your body before you eat. Take a few minutes to assess how hungry you are and make conscious choices about how much you're eating. Stop eating when you're full.
"We studied two very different approaches, and we found they both worked. This means people with diabetes have choices when it comes to eating a healthy diet," Miller said.
Miller said that because nutrition education is particularly important to people with a new diabetes diagnosis, she sees the mindful meditation and eating option as a potential supplement to basic diabetes education that patients need.
The study has been published in the November issue of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Source: www.timesofindia.com
10.11.2012
We
cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong
Abraham
Lincoln
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