Insulin is a hormone that plays an important role in the regulation of blood sugar in the body. Insulin regulates the sugar in the body and is important in the storage of excess glucose for energy. Insulin is produced by the pancreas in order to facilitate the entry of sugar into the tissues. After eating, when insulin levels are high, excess glucose is directed into the liver as glycogen. Glycogen is then released at times when insulin levels are low. The liver then releases glycogen in the bloodstream in the form of sugar to keep the blood sugar at a normal level. In certain conditions such as diabetes, where the body cannot naturally produce insulin or produces inadequate amounts of the substance, insulin can be delivered into the body through injections or other means.
Injection of insulin using a syringe is the most common method of delivering insulin into the body. Insulin needles are very thin and short, designed for injections into the subcutaneous tissue, the layer of fatty tissue just below the skin. Pain during injections is very minimal.
Risks of insulin treatment through a syringe
When insulin treatment is done via a syringe, the risk for tissue necrosis is great if one uses one site often. Other risks include bruising around the injection sites and as well as bleeding of the puncture site. Use of dirty needles can also predispose the user to infection.
Insulin delivery devices are used by patients suffering from conditions such as diabetes. Diabetes is a condition that is characterized by the inability of the body to make or use insulin.
There are alternative ways to introduce insulin into the body. The following are the most common:
Insulin pens
Insulin pens are one of the most commonly used methods for insulin delivery. This is composed of an insulin cartridge and a dial to measure the right dose. Disposable pen needles are used to deliver the dose. Popular brands of insulin pens include Novo Nordisk, Aventis and Eli Lilly. Pens come in two types of systems: prefilled and replaceable systems. Some models use prefilled pens which are then discarded after use. A replaceable pen uses replaceable insulin cartridges which are disposed. New ones are then inserted into the pen. Advantages of insulin pens include convenience, accuracy, and ease of use for those with motor impairments. Insulin pens are more convenient to carry around than vials and syringes and they are also more accurate. Insulin pens also produce less pain compared to traditional needles.
Insulin patch
A new technology for delivering insulin is the insulin patch which provides a continuous low dose of insulin to the body. The application of the patch is accompanied by the delivery of sound and electrical waves into the body.
Insulin pills
Insulin pills are another way of delivering insulin to the body. These are designed to withstand the digestive process for maximum absorption of insulin.
Insulin infusion pumps
These devices are about the size of a deck of cards or a cell phone and typically worn around the belt or carried inside the pocket. There is a reservoir for the insulin called the cartridge. A needle and a plunger are attached to the cartridge to allow the user to fill the cartridge with insulin. The needle and plunger are then taken off before the contents of the cartridge are filled into the pump.
Injection ports
Daily injections with syringes often require the use of certain body parts which in time become irritated and undergo tissue death. To prevent this, injection ports are used. Injection ports provide an alternative to daily injections and resemble infusion sets without the long tubing. Injection ports have a cannula that is inserted into the tissue beneath the skin. The port is held in place with an adhesive patch placed over the skin.
Insulin jet injectors
These deliver insulin via fine spray into the skin using a high pressure air mechanism. This is for those who do not want to use a needle because they are painless. However, they can cause bruising from the force of the spray, and it is more time-consuming to prepare and clean the injector, and they are rarely included in health insurance plans.
Subcutaneous infusion sets
These sets use a catheter that is inserted into the tissue beneath the skin that is left in place for several days. Insulin is then injected into the infuser instead of directly into the skin.
Inhaled insulin
This uses insulin in spray or powder form that is inhaled directly through the mouth and into the lungs, where it passes into the bloodstream. The mechanism for delivery is similar to that of an asthma inhaler. However, only 8-12% of the insulin is inhaled this way so one needs to take more in order to absorb the required dose.
Artificial pancreas
Researchers are in the process of studying the possibility of using an artificial pancreas, a system that will mimic the functions of a real pancreas, such as detection of blood glucose levels and subsequent release of insulin into the bloodstream. This will require at least three components: a continuous glucose monitoring system, an insulin delivery system, and a computer program that adjusts the dosage of insulin delivered according to glucose level changes.