Artificial Pancreas
Diabetes, whenever this word strikes into the mind people mostly assume it with something that is deficiency which near-almost right. But, what is diabetes actually? It is all related with the most important organ in our body i.e. pancreas. We can say a person is troubled with diabetes if only if the body is not able to produce or respond to the insulin hormone. Diabetes can lead to heart attack, kidney related issues, limb amputation, anxiety, depression, stroke and blindness. So, it can get severe if not taken care of.
Currently, there is no proper cure for diabetes but you can live an enjoyable life by maintaining the standard blood sugar level. Meanwhile one of the method—Artificial Pancreas, has arrived in the markets for proper intake of insulin in the body. But you must consider certain things about this artificial pancreas prior to purchase.
No it’s Not an Organ
Pancreas produces and releases an enzyme, insulin—this hormone helps to extract sugar from the food and use it to produce energy in the cells. Not to get confused the so-called artificial pancreas with an actual organ, it might share the same name and functions but it is actually referring to the Medtronic’s MiniMed 670G hybrid closed loop system. Pancreas of people with type 1 diabetes are not able to produce insulin for the body hence, this technology helps provide the required insulin dose as per its blood sugar level. It is integrated with certain different systems which monitor as well as regulate the dosages.
First of All it’s No Insulin Pump
You might know insulin pumps to reduce the effects of diabetes in the body. But there are certain times when these pumps becomes fatal if consumed too much. Excess intake can lead to hypoglycaemia which can be deadly for the body so, the balancing act must be taken care of.
Even though these devices do allow us to program it for the release of right amount at specific time, you have to frequently check blood sugar level. With insulin you have to be very conscious about the blood sugar level and the intake you are taking. Whereas, Medtronic’s MiniMed 670G also referred as artificial pancreas combines with an insulin pump but with an adjacent glucose monitor which not only checks the blood sugar but also adjusts your insulin dose as per required.
50 Years of Research yet Drawbacks
The researchers have been developing this type of tech from many years. According to the reports, with the approval of MiniMed 670G, it was sort of bomb-drop on various research institutes as it is not full-proof. It won’t be useful for the people with low hearing and vision problems, pregnant women, and people with kidney diseases. Yet, it is sort of a major achievement in medical science and also in pharmaceuticals. Besides, this conceptual tech holds more promising aspects than others methods for the blood sugar management.
A published research in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that no patients with severe hypoglycaemia or ketoacidosis are been found after the use of this device. Moreover the device is helping people to maintain their target blood sugar range 73.4% of the time. Although with the absence this system, patients were only able to stay in the range of 67.8% most of the time.
In future, there is strong possibility of getting more upgraded versions of this technology that we can totally rely on. Technology disruption is imminent, each and every technology go through technological disruption anyhow. With every second passing the medical science is surprising us with its fascinating integration with technology like researchers discovered the new shape which is used to hold cells together. Hopefully, we might be seeing the health sector at a whole new level.
– Bhushan ghate
