Posts Tagged ‘insulin therapy’

Insulin Nasal Spray Tested as an Alzheimer’s Treatment

September 16, 2011 by · 2 Comments
Filed under: Diabetes Control, Diabetes Medication, Diabetes Research and News 
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insulin nasal spray

Photo credit: robin_24

A team of Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) researchers were intrigued by studies that suggested that low levels of insulin in the brain could contribute to Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers, led by Dr. Suzanne Craft, decided to test the benefits of restoring normal insulin levels in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.

Insulin is an important hormone which plays a major role in turning blood sugar into energy for cells. A lack of insulin, or an inability to properly use it, results in diabetes. Diabetes is a known risk factor for Alzheimer’s, although the connection is not yet clear.

Alzheimer’s is a disease in which cognitive functioning declines over time, causing progressive memory loss, loss of motor and language skills, impaired reasoning, emotional instability, and eventually full-blown dementia. The disease is associated with abnormal protein deposits in the brain called plaques. Read the full article

New Disposable Insulin Delivery Device About to Hit the Market

September 14, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Diabetes Medication, Diabetes Research and News, Insulin Delivery 
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V-Go Disposable Insulin Delivery Device

Valeritas, an American medical technology company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative drug delivery solutions, is poised to begin marketing a new disposable insulin delivery device called the V-Go Disposable Insulin Delivery Device.

The V-Go is designed to provide an alternative to multiple daily insulin injections for adult type 2 diabetics using basal-bolus insulin therapy. The V-Go delivers a continuous preset rate of basal insulin (20, 30 or 40 units of insulin per 24 hours) and allows for on demand bolus dosing at mealtimes (in two unit increments up to 36 units).

Users fill the V-Go with their desired insulin dose using an included disposable filling accessory, the V-Go EZ Fill. The small, lightweight (about 1 ounce when full) device delivers insulin subcutaneously for 24 hours, after which it is replaced with a new one. The discreet device is worn under a patient’s clothing, and should not be exposed to direct sunlight or high temperatures, although it can be submerged in up to three feet of water.

The non-electronic V-Go was tested using both Humalog insulin lispro and Novolog (insulin aspart), and achieved FDA approval at the end of 2010. The company has been pursuing financing to market it ever since, and has just announced that it has raised $150 million to bring the V-Go Disposable Insulin Delivery Device to market.

“Millions of adult patients suffer from type 2 diabetes and require insulin,” says Valeritas CEO Kristine Peterson, “We believe the V-Go will be an important treatment option to assist in the management of their diabetes.”  To visit the V-Go site and to sign up for email updates on the availability of the innovative insulin delivery device, >Click Here.<

What is Stiff-Person Syndrome?

August 26, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: It's Complicated, Uncategorized 
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One very rare and unusual condition associated with diabetes is Stiff-Person syndrome, also referred to as Myotonic Dystrophy. Stiff-Person syndrome (SPS) is a central nervous system disorder characterized by severe muscle stiffness that moves from place to place in the trunk, arms and legs. SPS affects about 1 in 1 million Americans, and about 1 in 10,000 diabetics.

Someone with SPS is exceedingly hypersensitive to normal stimuli such as sound, touch and emotional stress. A sudden noise, tap or worry can trigger muscle spasms that distort the body into hunched over stiff postures. People with SPS suffer from frequent falls when spasms are triggered by commonplace noises like a door slamming or a car horn. Because people with SPS lack normal protective reflexes, spasms and falls can result in serious injuries, including fractures, muscle tears and joint dislocations.

Read the full article

Oil Refining Expertise Being Applied to Closed Loop Artificial Pancreas

June 15, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Diabetes Control, Diabetes Research and News, Insulin Delivery, Insulin Pumps 
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Engineers from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are building on automation techniques used in oil refining to create a closed-loop artificial pancreas for type 1 diabetics. The Institute’s Professor B. Wayne Bequette, whose sister developed diabetes early in life, has been fine tuning an increasingly advanced diabetes control system for six years.

The pancreas of a type 1 diabetic produces little or no insulin, leaving them dependent on insulin injections. Blood sugar and insulin levels rise and fall normally during the day, responding to factors like meals, the type of food eaten, stress and exercise. Diabetics must monitor their blood sugar levels frequently, and adjust their insulin dose accordingly.

Bequette’s artificial pancreas marries an insulin pump with a continuous glucose monitoring system.  The combination quickly and accurately identifies and responds to rapid variations in blood sugar and insulin levels, eliminating the need for frequent testing and guesswork.

To read more about Bequette and his fellow researcher’s work on theEngineer >CLICK HERE.<

“Super Mice” Suggest Promising New Approach to Diabetes Medication

June 14, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Diabetes Control, Diabetes Medication, Diabetes Research and News 
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lab mice

Photo: Aaron Logan

Scientists at the prestigious Mayo Clinic are excited about a promising prospective treatment for type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a result of the body losing sensitivity to insulin and no longer being able to respond to it. Current diabetes treatments concentrate on increasing insulin levels – either by administering insulin injections, or by stimulating the pancreas to produce more insulin.

A Mayo Clinic Department of Neuroscience research team, led by Malcolm Leissring, Ph.D, took a different approach – blocking the breakdown of insulin after it was released by the pancreas. Conducting studies in mice, the researchers genetically deleted an insulin-degrading enzyme, or IDE, which breaks insulin down into smaller pieces to help control insulin levels in the blood.

The IDE-less rodents were “super mice” in regards to their ability to lower their blood sugar after a meal (a problem for many diabetics). They also had higher insulin levels, weighed less, and had better overall blood sugar control. Read the full article

Insulin Therapy Can Help Avoid Diabetic Neuropathy

May 19, 2011 by · 4 Comments
Filed under: Diabetes Control, Diabetic Neuropathy, Insulin Injections 
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Photo: Norman Desjardins

Diabetic neuropathy is a common complication of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, especially in those who have had diabetes for some time. Diabetic neuropathy, or nerve pain, is nerve damage related to high blood sugar levels. Up to 70 percent of diabetics will develop some sort of neuropathy.

There are four types of diabetic neuropathy – peripheral, proximal, autonomic and focal. The symptoms will vary depending on the type you have, but the first signs are usually numbness, tingling and/or pain in the outer limbs – hands, feet, legs and arms.

Peripheral neuropathy is the most common type. Symptoms get worse at night, and include muscle pain and cramping, loss of sensitivity to temperature or pain, and increased sensitivity to touch. Uncontrolled peripheral neuropathy increases the risk of foot ulcers, infection, and even amputation.

The one and only way to treat diabetic neuropathy is to control your blood sugar levels. A major long-term study established that neuropathy was less common in those diabetics controlling their condition through insulin injections. For a comprehensive overview of diabetic neuropathy, including tips on how to prevent and control it, read The Complete Guide to Diabetic Neuropathy at endocrineweb.

Artificial Pancreas Performs Well in British Trials

April 15, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Diabetes Research and News, Insulin Delivery, Insulin Pumps 
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model of a pancreas
Pancreas model. Photo: Suleyman Habib

There’s good news coming out of Britain for type 1 diabetics.  Researchers conducting tests with a closed loop system artificial pancreas were able to better stabilize blood sugar in two groups of study participants than with a conventional insulin pump and – most importantly – to keep their blood sugar from dipping overnight. 

An artificial pancreas combines an insulin pump, a continuous glucose monitoring system, and a high tech that provides sophisticated instructions to the insulin pump and glucose monitor depending on blood sugar readings. For example, the computer algorithm computes insulin doses according to rising or falling blood sugar levels, and sends instructions to the insulin pump to deliver the optimum dose. The goal is to have the system act as much as a normal pancreas as possible.

 The researchers tested the artificial pancreas in 24 insulin dependent diabetics in two real-life scenarios – an evening meal eaten at home, and a dinner eaten out, including alcohol. Half of the diners were given the artificial pancreas system, while the other half used conventional insulin pump therapy. 

To read more on this story online at WebMD, >CLICK HERE.<

Insulin Therapy Changing With New and Improved Insulin Delivery Methods

April 14, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Diabetes Research and News, Insulin Delivery, Insulin Injections 
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An old insulin syringe

Old insulin syringe. Photo: Markus.Michalczyk

Not that long ago, being insulin dependent meant you had to carry around a syringe and a vial of insulin to deliver your insulin injections, making sure to keep them refrigerated. There are now a variety of methods for insulin delivery on the market, and some promising new developments on the horizon. These include:

1) Insulin pens. Most types of insulin are now available in convenient prefilled pens. Some insulin pens are entirely disposable when empty, and others use a replaceable insulin cartridge, usually containing 300 units. There is a dial on one end to set your desired dose. The pens offer discreet, push button insulin delivery. Some claim the injections are more comfortable than from a needle that has already been dulled by insertion into an insulin vial. Many people prefer to use an insulin pen if they are caring for a diabetic child or pet.
Read the full article

Frequently Asked Questions About Insulin Pumps

April 1, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Insulin Delivery, Insulin Pumps 
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insulin pump

Photo credit: mbbradford

About.com type 1 diabetes guide Gary Gilles believes that insulin pump therapy has changed the way people with insulin dependent diabetes handle their condition. Gilles, a health writer and diabetes counselor, has put together a helpful list of FAQ’s on insulin pump therapy, answering inquiries from the basic “What is an insulin pump?” to questions about their safety, effectiveness and how to program and troubleshoot an insulin pump.

Click >HERE< to read Gilles’ insulin pump FAQ’s on About.com. Gilles’ article links to related posts on the pros and cons of insulin pump therapy, types of insulin pumps, and the latest research.

New Hormone Pathway May Replace Insulin Therapy for Diabetes

March 28, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Diabetes Medication, Diabetes Research and News, Insulin Injections 
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Photo credit: sundstrom

Researchers have discovered a hormone pathway that they are hopeful may eventually lead to new type 1 diabetes treatments to replace insulin therapy. Currently, America’s approximately one million type 1 diabetics rely on multiple insulin injections per day to control their blood sugar.

The pathway involves a hormone with insulin-like characteristics called fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF 19). Unlike insulin, FGF 19 does not cause excess glucose to be stored as fat, also raising the prospect of a new anti-obesity treatment.

To read the whole story, click here >Science Daily<.

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