Did you know that there is a new alternative for diabetic patients?

Diabetic patients need continuous monitoring of their glucose levels and that is why a treatment alternative has been created through medical technology.

This is a small sensor inserted under the patient's skin, which measures the glucose levels permanently, the sensor and / or the device is connected to a transmitter, which sends this data to an insulin pump and so the amount of insulin required is estimated.

This feature allows patients to see the most relevant information in real time and to set alerts and alarms to see when sensor glucose levels have dropped too much or have increased significantly

In addition to providing a supply in insulin more accurate and improve the quality of life of people with diabetes, it has been clinically proven that insulin pumps with continuous glucose monitoring provide better glucose control that reduces glucose risk of diabetes complications .

Among the complications are problems of hypertension, kidney damage, peripheral arterial disease, gastroparesis, osteoporosis and bone and joint problems, amputations, badual problems, urologic , among others.

It is true that therapy With an insulin pump is the most recommended therapeutic option for patients with type 1 diabetes especially in children and adolescents, access to treatment is limited in Latin American countries, but Colombia is the only country in which therapy is covered by the Compulsory Health Plan (SOP).

Due to social, economic, governmental and legal barriers, in most South American countries, conventional treatment of multiple injections remains the most commonly used.

According to Carolina Zárate, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes since the age of 24, a blogger and influential in this pathology, the mandatory health plan (PDS) includes: insulins, a glucometer per year, test strips glucometer and lancet, insulin syringes, glucagon, oral medications and insulin pumps with continuous glucose monitoring.

The limitations that patients face in accessing treatment include: delays in the administration of medications, lack of knowledge and the small number of specialists trained and authorized to prescribe the insulin pump.

Overall, diabetes costs about $ 592 billion in the year 2035.

In 2013, expenditures for diabetes management accounted for 11% of the world's budget for diabetes. health, according to data from WHO

Ana María Gómez, Specialist in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, measured the cost-effectiveness of a more sensory insulin pump program in patients with type 1 diabetes , finding that the therapy increases the period of life without complications, life expectancy, years adjusted for the quality of life and, in addition, delays the onset of complications.

Worldwide, recent publications show that treatment with insulin pump + sensor and continuous monitoring compared to the treatment of multiple injections in patients with inadvertent hypoglycemia decreases severe hypoglycemia of 59% and increases the adequate blood glucose time by 17%.