Think Ahead: Keep Diabetes Supplies in Stock

There are many precautions a person diagnosed with diabetes needs to take. There are diabetes supplies a person needs to have on hand to test glucose levels, diabetes medication they may be prescribed to keep their blood sugar at a safe level and learning how to eat better and exercise more to combat weight problems.

Keeping on top of all daily diabetes supplies is particularly important since a person would never want to be without them. Lancing devices are part of the protocol used in measuring a person’s blood glucose level.  It is important that these devices remain clean and sterile. Therefore, part of any diabetes supply kit should include alcohol swabs. Alcohol swabs will ensure a person practices safe testing. Keeping their lancing devices free from germs, bacterium or potential viruses will help to ward off any potential diabetes complication.

There are many businesses which sell diabetes supplies that will be able to put patients on a schedule and ship these supplies for free. This works out so that patients don’t have to worry about reordering.

Glucometers: The Basics

If you’re diabetic, or know someone who is, chances are that you’ve at least seen a glucometer. If you don’t know what one is, they’re a necessary tool used with diabetes to check blood sugar levels at certain times of day. They’re manufactured by many different companies and come in different styles and with different options. Glucometers test blood samples from patients to determine the level of blood sugar; this allows the diabetic to monitor their blood sugar level and administer sugar or insulin as needed.

A lancet is used to puncture the skin, usually on a finger tip, and obtain the blood sample. This sample is the placed on a test strip which is placed into the glucometer. The small computer inside the machine then calculates the level of sugar present in the sample and displays this as a number on the built in screen. Levels between 80 and 100 are normal, while above indicates the need for insulin and below indicates the need for a source of sugar. Normally, these sources of sugar should be small and contain refined sugars, like a piece of candy or chocolate.

With the aid of a glucometer, patients can avoid debilitating conditions like diabetic comas. A diabetic coma results from both extremes in blood sugar levels. These comas are frightening and can be life threatening, but with the aid of a glucometer, medication and a healthy diet, the risks of these can be greatly lowered.

All glucometers work on the same principle; a blood sample is analyzed for sugar levels. Glucometers differ mainly in size, placement of test strip and the location where blood samples can be obtained. Most have to have a sample from a finger tip, but this can be a painful experience, especially when the tests must be performed multiple times in a day. Newer glucometer models allow for samples taken from the inside of the forearm and other areas, though these glucometers tend to cost a little more than older styles.

Some glucometers require the test strip to be inserted after placing the sample on it, though these are older models and are becoming increasingly rare. Newer models require the test strip to be placed into the top of the glucometer, with the absorbent strip facing out, toward the patient. The sample is then touched to the top edge of the test strip, which wicks the sample into the strip itself and is then tested by the computer, and results displayed for the patient’s information.

Glucometers are battery powered for portability, though some have rechargeable batteries like a cell phone. Most work on simple AA batteries, though. Many diabetics carry a small, preloaded syringe of insulin with them and keep a glucometer for home use and one in their vehicle or on their person. A glucometer must be used with the correct test strips, or the sample will be analyzed improperly, or not at all. To determine which test strips are right for a certain glucometer, read the information in the User’s Manual that comes with all new glucometers. This will give specifics like brand of test strip recommended and style needed.

Pros and Cons of Insulin Pumps

The insulin pump is a medical device that is used for managing insulin levels in the body to treat diabetes mellitus. With the help of this device, a patient can administer the right amount of insulin in his or her body, in order to maintain the right insulin level. Thus, this device helps to ease the process of maintaining insulin levels in the body.

The device includes:

• A pump, along with the controls, batteries, and processing module
• Inside the pump, there is a disposable reservoir for keeping insulin
• A disposable infusion set, along with the cannula is included for inserting in the skin
• A tubing system is included for interfacing the disposable insulin reservoir to the cannula

The insulin pump acts as an alternative to daily injections of insulin that are administered by an insulin pen or syringe. It helps a diabetic patient go through intensive insulin therapy, if the patient requires the insulin injection in tandem with lowering fat and blood glucose monitoring. Through the insulin pump therapy, a patient can replace slow acting insulin for insulin requirements, with the constant introduction of rapid acting insulin dosage. This device helps an individual administer single type of fast acting insulin injection in the following two ways:

• Bonus dosage of the drug to correct a high glucose blood sugar level.
• Basal dose to constantly pump a dosage of the drug to stem over the insulin need, during meals and during the night.

Advantage of administering insulin dosage with the help of the insulin pump:

• It is more convenient to use them than using syringes.
• With it, one can easily administer rapid acting insulin dosage.
• With the help of the insulin pump, a diabetic patient can deliver the right amount of insulin that is needed by the body.
• In the long term, this device helps an individual save more money than multiple daily injections.

Disadvantages of administering insulin dosage with the help of an insulin pump:

• The insulin pump is more expensive than the syringes used for injecting insulin.
• It needs to be worn most of the time, so the users do not have the freedom to participate in certain kinds of activities like water sports or other rough activities.
• Some patients feel that wearing it all the time is uneasy.
• As it treats with the help of rapid acting insulin dosage only, a patient has the chance of suffering from diabetic ketoacidosis if the pump does not contain enough fast acting insulin dosage.
• As it is battery operated, if the device remains discharged, a patient’s administration of insulin may be affected, which may lead to complications.
• Its users need to administer the effective delivery of insulin, as it is battery operated, else there can be some malfunctions to the device.

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