New insulin pumps help fight diabetes in UAE

Dubai, UAE: The latest in new insulin pump technology is now available in the UAE and is a step closer to serving as an artificial pancreas.

Insulin pumps have been in use for decades, especially in the case of children with Type 1 diabetes where the body does not produce any insulin at all.

However, the new sensor-augmented insulin pump — which can automatically shut off insulin supply when it detects low level of glucose — can save the individual an episode of hypoglycaemia (low sugar). These kinds of pumps that have Arabic-enabled readings are now available in the UAE and are making diabetes management less cumbersome now.

Conventionally, people with Type 1 and Type II diabetes use an insulin injection or a pen.

The new pumps spell good news for this region which has a high incidence of diabetes.

According to the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organisation, six out of the world’s top ten countries for highest prevalence of diabetes are currently in the Middle East and North Africa Region – Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE. Estimates suggest that around 19 per cent of the adult UAE population suffers from diabetes compared with a global average of 6 per cent, attributed mostly to current economic development and lifestyle challenges.

Dr Mohammad Hamed Farooqi, Director of the Dubai Diabetes Centre, welcomed the new sensor-enabled pumps, but with a word of caution: “Any type of technological breakthrough which helps make the life of a diabetic easier is most welcome as it marks a small step in better diabetes management and we move closer towards the creation of artificial pancreas. However, anyone using the pump must have a realistic understanding of what it can deliver. The individual must be made aware that the new device does not take over your diabetes management.

“The pump cannot anticipate what you are going to eat — half a chicken or half a piece of cake — you need to maintain a basic criteria of what and how much you will eat throughout the day. It is the responsibility of the individual to adjust the insulin requirement and know how much insulin each meal will require. Besides that, a bulk of the pump users are children with Type I diabetes and typically their mothers or care givers must be trained in the use of the pump as well.”

The new sensor-enabled pump manufactured by the US-based medical technology company Medtronic is approved by the Ministry of Health and available on prescription by a diabetes specialist as the user requires to undergo extensive training before switching it on, according to a spokesperson from the company.

Fact Box

How the pump works?

The insulin pump is designed to deliver a continuous amount of insulin, 24 hours a day, according to a programmed plan unique to each pump user. The pumps have a small, flexible tube (called a cannula), which is inserted under the abdomen and taped in place. With features like the Bolus Wizard Calculator, with the press of a button, patients can give themselves an extra dose of insulin when planning to have a meal. Conventional pumps read the sugar level in your body and help you release the required level of insulin accordingly. However, the advanced pump shuts off when it detects low sugar, thereby helping the patient avoid any kind of low sugar episodes that can be fatal.

What the users have to say?

“I started using the insulin pump when I turned 13 and that was after I had been through insulin injections for about five years and I can tell you that it has really changed my life! I think the pump is amazing. It allows you to live your life with a lot more freedom and peace of mind,” said Shrooq Al Harmoudi, an Emirati student living with diabetes since she was eight years old and who switched to using the insulin pump seven years ago.

“I used the pump as a trial user but gave it up as I was not comfortable with it due to personal reasons. I jump and run around a lot and am a bit clumsy and would much rather use the conventional pen. I have loads of friends who use it and I think the new feature where the pump can sense low sugar and shut off now makes it even more safer. But I would recommend it to anyone, especially young children, who can be psychologically free now as they do not have to inject themselves in front of friends and can also sleep without fear in the night when usually sugar goes low. Now the pump will shut off,” said Mena Helmy, 21, a student who has had Type 1 diabetes since the age five.

“I have had Type 1 diabetes since the age of 17 and have been using different models of pumps since 2005. The pump helped me manage my diabetes very efficiently during my two pregnancies. Now the new pump has completely changed my lifestyle. It has made it much easier for me to manage my mealtimes, go for exercise and also sleep in peace. Earlier I had many episodes of hypoglycaemia and would feel very tired during the day. Now the pump measures my sugar levels during the night and shuts off on its own,” said Shamsa Al Meshjri, 33, an Emirati mother of two with Type 1 diabetes since the age of 17.

© Gulf News