How Much DOES the World Care About Diabetes?

For all diabetics or those who care for or have a loved one with diabetes, good news has arrived! Technology to improve the quality of life for Type 1 diabetics throughout the world are increasing at a more rapid pace then ever seen before. As we hear more and more about new technologies and research projects, I decided to investigate just how much does the world care about diabetes? Essentially, how much money and time does our world use to focus on making life better for diabetics?

According to the MedMarket Diligence report conducted in July 2010, $36 billion dollars in the global market annually is used on diabetes management products. The products and technologies covered can be found at the MedMarket report.  Because of intense competition between different companies, more products are being developed and are designed to be as efficient and cost-effective as possible. The report also projects how the market will change over the next 10 years (until 2018) and states that global research and technologies are projected to increase exponentially in the decades to come.
Europe is expected to have a growth of 11% in the market for diabetes management products while Asia is expected to have an astounding 24% growth. Despite Asia's predicted growth, Europe and the United States still dominate the market for these products, representing 68% of the global market.

Some of the new technologies and products that are said to be investigated are: new continuous glucose monitoring systems, islet cell transplants, vaccines, antibody treatments, oral/inhaled insulin delivery, and most importantly the closed loop blood glucose monitoring system (also called the artificial pancreas). The report was very optimistic about the speed in which these products will be adequately researched and tested in order to be placed on the market in the "very near future".
For all diabetics, this is great news to hear that the world does indeed care about our wellbeing. This emphasize on creating diabetes management products can be attributed to the fact that there is a growing number of type 1 diabetics worldwide. According to the American Diabetes Association, 1.6 million cases of diabetes are newly diagnosed each year in people over the age of 20. With more diabetics, it is important for products to be developed that will help their every day lifestyle. The rapid pace at which research is being conducted is relieving for some elderly diabetics who may have believed that they would be using the same technology for the rest of their lives. The fact that a report that looks at diabetes products growing rapidly in just 10 years span gives hope to diabetics from ages 50-80 years old who could be some of the first to use this new technology in old age. I urge diabetics and caregivers to look into the future with optimism as new technology emerges daily.

The complete MedMarket report can be ordered online at http://mediligence.com/store/page34.html

References:
http://www.prlog.org/10862901-new-technologies-in-type-1-and-type-2-diabetes-management.html
http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/diabetes-statistics/
http://www.mediligence.com/rpt/rpt-d510.htm

Calibra Finesse Pen Patch- Pros and Cons

Finesse

On January 25, 2010, the FDA approved Calibra Medical's new insulin pen patch called Finesse. This pen patch is a new and improved version of an insulin pump that delivers insulin to the patient through their skin. The patch is 2 inches long, 1 inch wide, and 1/4 inch thick, designed to be slim and unapparent under most clothing. This pen patch holds 200 units of insulin at a time. The insulin is moved from the patch to the patient's body through a 27 gauge needle and by pressing the buttons on the side that click for every unit of insulin delivered into the patient's body. Both buttons must be pressed for insulin to be dispensed in order to avoid accidental delivery of insulin. This pen patch can be worn for 2-3 days at a time and is designed with withstand daily activities such as exercise, swimming, and showering.

The development of the Finesse is a huge step forward for smaller pumps and it seems will soon replace insulin pens or needles that require numerous injections per day. This new technology presents numerous advantages and disadvantages for the elderly.

Comparison of needle sizes

It is apparent that this pen patch will minimize daily injections since it only needs to be changed every few days. Most diabetics use insulin pens to inject themselves about 3-4 times a day, meaning that this pen patch would eliminate about 10 injections per 4 days. However, the patch only contains bolus insulin, meaning that patients are still obligated to inject themselves with a long lasting insulin once a day. Moreover, most insulin pen needles are 33 gauge needles, however as a 27 gauge needle, the pen patch may hurt more when being injected into the patient's skin. On the other hand, even if it is a bigger needle, the avoidance of multiple daily injections can reduce bruising and the creation of scar tissue that often occurs to the elderly when they are forced to inject themselves. 

Calibra Medical has taken precautionary steps to help the elderly use this new technology. Each Finesse comes with a packet of stickers to remind patients on what day of the week to change the pen patch for a different one. This is especially helpful for the elderly who sometimes have memory problems and could forget to change their pen patch. 

A downside to this new technology could be cost. Although Calibra Medical is fairly certain that most major insurance companies will cover their equipment, this is not certain yet. Since most of the elderly are on Medicare which sometimes seems to cover the bare minimum, it is possible that their insurance would not cover this, placing an immense financial burden on the patient. 

A final point to consider is style and comfort. Although slim, the Finesse can be seen through certain clothing and can cause insecurity issues as it is exposed when one wears bathing suits etc. However, I believe this is an example of how it could benefit the elderly more than the youth as the elderly usually do not care as much about their looks. Another point to consider is the comfort. Having tried numerous constant glucose monitoring systems that are placed constantly on my body much like the Finesse, I become anxious at the idea of having something on my skin at all times and was extremely cautious about bumping into things or moving around too much. Although this technology is extremely stable, for me, it was a matter of unreasonable fear. Therefore, if one feels comfortable wearing a piece of equipment like this, I believe that the Finesse is definitely worth trying. However, it is true that this piece of technology may not be for everyone.

For another blog which analyzes the benefits of the Finesse pen patch go to: http://bernardfarrell.com/blog/blogger.html

References:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100125005596/en/Calibra-Receives-510-Clearance-Finesse™-Insulin-Patch-Pen
http://bernardfarrell.com/blog/blogger.html
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20100726/Calibra-Medicals-Finesse-insulin-patch-pen-receives-FDA-clearance-for-use-with-Novo-Nordisks-Novolog.aspx?page=1

Caring for Elderly vs Youth with Diabetes

Although most people with Type 1 diabetes are diagnosed during their youth, the way they care for their diabetes can change drastically when they reach old age. This is due to changes in their mobility, energy levels etc. I feel as though it is important for health care professionals, care takers, and diabetics to understand these differences in order to better care for elderly diabetics. It is said that oftentimes the best technology is good care, and therefore knowing the differences in caring for the elderly and for the youth is crucial.

Elderly diabetic

First of all, it is important to realize that elderly diabetics are more prone to certain ailments such as heart and kidney disease, stroke, and visual impairment. Caregivers can help their loved one lower their chances of being affected by these problems by maintaining tight control of their blood sugars (see other posts for sample technologies that improve glucose control). As a diabetic, I realize the importance of this since having out of control blood sugars would decrease energy levels even more and create more visual impairment problems. Furthermore, it is important for diabetics to keep their cholesterol and blood pressure under control in order to minimize chances of heart disease, says a diabetic educator, Meg Bayless. It is recommended that elder diabetics take an aspirin a day and have proper nutrition and daily exercise.
In general, it is important for diabetics to watch their nutrition and exercise however oftentimes as one ages, exercise become harder and diabetics become too tired to properly fix healthy meals for themselves. Therefore, I recommend that caregivers find a way to plan out meals for the week that are healthy and find a way to prepare them ahead of time so the patient does not need to do much work. In addition, I would suggest that each elderly diabetic finds a way of exercise that works for them depending on their range of mobility, energy level, etc. By setting aside a specific routine for the patient, it will be easier to create a pattern of healthy habits.

Young diabetic

Elderly diabetics face more even problems than younger diabetics that make them significantly more disabled than the non-diabetic elderly. These problems include depression as they feel isolated from loved ones, increased chances of falling from visual impairment and the dizziness that accompanies low blood sugar, memory problems that can lead the patient to forget to monitor their blood sugar, and pain that diabetics do not talk to their doctors about.

As a diabetic myself, it is concerning to read how much differently (and one could argue, worse) the disease will affect me when I am older. But these facts should not be seen as bad. Knowledge is key, and therefore if older diabetics and/or their caregivers are made aware of these differences, they can take preventative steps to make aging with diabetes as smooth of a transition as possible. In my opinion, the three most important things for elderly diabetics to do to reduce the risk of complications that do not occur in younger diabetics is: 1. have the support and help of a caregiver or family member 2. do not let their old age prevent them from participating in daily exercise and eating healthy 3. staying up to date with doctors appointments and taking the proper medication. These three tips, along with understanding the differences between caring for the elderly and the young, can make a huge difference.


References:
http://www.everydayhealth.com/type-1-diabetes/adults-with-type-1-diabetes.aspx

Tattoos to Help Monitor Blood Glucose Levels?

Blood Glucose Monitoring Tattoo

What if getting a tattoo had health benefits? In a few decades, this could be the case as researchers are currently experimenting with tattoos that could help diabetics monitor their blood sugar levels. For the elderly, this discovery could be monumental as it would eliminate the need for them to use multiple finger sticks a day to check their blood sugar. As a type 1 diabetic myself, I know first hand the disadvantages to using finger sticks (inserting a needle on the tips of your fingers) up to 10 times a day. For the elderly, finger sticks are exceptionally problematic as the constant pricking of fingers creates a loss of sensation in one's fingers as one ages. Moreover, this system would provide constant glucose monitoring which is proven to me significantly more effective than testing sporadically throughout the day.

The research and experimentation of tattoos to help monitor one's blood glucose levels is being conducted by researchers Paul Barone and Michael Strano at MIT's Department of Engineering. This technology consists of nano particle ink that is imbedded into the patient's skin as a tattoo. This ink contains nanotubes wrapped in polymer that serves as a sensor to detect blood glucose levels. The monitoring device would be placed over the tattoo (this close proximity increases reliability) and would display the patient's blood glucose levels.

This new technology is different from existing constant glucose monitoring technologies for many reasons. First, the most effective existing constant glucose monitors (CGMs) must be changed approximately every 7 days. These tattoos would be effective for about half a year and the researchers are hoping to extend its lifespan. Secondly, CGM's require twice a day finger pricks in order to calibrate the monitor to increase reliability. Ideally, the technology for these tattoos would be advanced enough to not require any finger sticks. 

Although the elderly may be hesitant to get a tattoo, these tattoos can be of small size and can be placed in areas where they will not be apparent in daily life. Moreover, tattoo technology has made tattoos much safer (infection free) and relatively pain free. 

Barone, Strano, and their teams of researchers are hoping to conduct animal trials in the near future. Therefore, this technology will probably not be available for about a decade. However for current adult type 1 diabetics, this news is comforting as they can hold on to the hope that in their old age there will be technology that will allow them to avoid multiple finger pricks a day. Who knows, in the future type 1 diabetics may be identified not by their medical alert bracelets, but by their blood glucose monitoring tattoos.


For more information on different studies of these tattoos see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2225404.stm


References: http://healthland.time.com/2010/06/04/a-tattoo-to-help-monitor-blood-sugar-levels/?xid=rss-blogs