New to Pumping?
Let us be your guide!
By Barbara A. Bradley, MS, RN, CDE

So, you aren’t pleased with your blood glucose control.

What to do?
Insulin pump therapy could be the choice to help you achieve near-normal blood glucose levels

Subcutaneous insulin delivery with an insulin pump can closely mimic physiological insulin delivery. Basal insulin can be programmed at variable rates to meet varying energy and hormonal needs. Continuous delivery in smaller increments offers improved insulin absorption compared to large injected deposits of insulin with subcutaneous injections.

The Paradigm 712 (shown below) and the
Animas Pump (shown upper right) are two
options if you decide to use an insulin pump.

Who is a candidate for insulin pump therapy?

People with type 1 or type 2 can make use of insulin pump therapy.

Medical indications for this therapy include, but are not limited to:

• Dawn Phenomenon
• Hypoglycemia unawareness
• Delayed gastric emptying or gastroparesis
• Wide excursions in blood glucose control despite adherence to recommended meal plans, activity and medication adjustments
• Exercise-induced hypoglycemia
• Nocturnal hypoglycemia
• Neuropathy
• Nephropathy
• Insulin sensitivity: dosing can be programmed as low as 0.025 on some pumps
• Growth spurts of children and adolescents
• Pregnancy
• Variable lifestyles with changing work, activity, sleep and meal schedules
• People who travel frequently
• Shift workers

Who can be a successful pump user?
People who have:

• Motivation and willingness to learn the skills and take on the responsibilities of intensive management. This is also applicable to parents or other caregivers.
• Emotional maturity, not related to an individual’s age. Parents are capable of managing a child’s pump until the child gradually is able to take responsibility for selfmanagement. Parents and other caregivers can be competent in pump management.
• Mastery of carbohydrate counting.
• Dexterity to operate a pump.
• Ability and willingness to perform and record frequent blood glucose evaluations.
• Adequate financial resources.

Pump Resources Are Everywhere

Pump manufacturers can provide assistance with obtaining insurance approvals and training. Education and management takes time. Qualified diabetes educators and certified pump trainers are available to assist your practice and your patients. These resources can be accessed through diabetes training centers, independent diabetes education contractors and several diabetes supply businesses.

Empower your patients with a tool that will help them take charge of their diabetes, their health and their quality of life.

Pumps like the Deltec Cozmo (shown below) can
closely mimic physiological insulin delivery.

Did You Know?...

That the favorite insulin pump color among people who pump is:

Charcoal 36 %
Blue 30 %
Clear 11 %
Grey 11 %