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The use of the artificial pancreas was approved by FDA, thus helping all Type 1 diabetes patients.
STATES CHRONICLE – FDA has finally approved the use of an artificial pancreas for those who suffer from diabetes. This new device was designed to help people monitor the evolution of their disease by regularly checking the blood sugar and providing them the needed insulin shots. The artificial pancreas was produced by Medtronic, and it got its vote on October 12. This will be used by Type 1 diabetes individuals, who were most likely diagnosed with the disease during their childhood.
In America, approximately five percent out of 29 million people suffer from Type 1. Doctors and medical staff have been waiting for this device for a long time. This will provide patients with the most precise results meant to keep the illness under control. Dr. Betul Hatipoglu has stated that he is thrilled to find out about the issuing of this product. He sees this device as a helping hand for all the doctors who are treating diabetes patients.
Those who suffer from diabetes will have the chance to get their insulin dose through a tube which pumps the drug or through several shots during the day. Type 1 diabetes patients have a pancreas malfunction which restricts their ability to convert food into energy. The hormone is called insulin. Because of the lack of this hormone, their body retains sugar, its level from the blood vessels being alarmingly rising.
This artificial pancreas which is known as MiniMed 670G is made up of a pump specially designed to deliver the drugs. It also has attached a blood sugar sensor which will indicate its level in the blood streams. What is more, the device has a tube bound to provide insulin. The levels of sugar from the blood vessels are getting checked every five minutes, having the ability to incorporate or withdraw insulin, depending on the case.
Before having their meal, a person suffering from Type 1 diabetes needs to manually expand the insulin. The price of this device will be similar with that of other insulin pumps, being valued at about $6,000 or $9,000. The insulin pumps which were used once were meant to only provide the level of insulin. Every patient’s job was to keep track of the sugar levels and offer themselves a larger amount of insulin to decrease the blood sugar levels. This was a pretty hard task for some patients. Now, with the new artificial pancreas, everything could be so much easier.
Image courtesy of: wikipedia
