Insulin Pumps Linked to Teen Injuries, Deaths
By Associated Press via MSNBC,Publication Date: May 5, 2008
News story on the reported risks of injury to teenagers with Type 1 diabetes when using insulin pumps. Researchers from the Food and Drug Administration based safety concerns on a study conducted from 1996 to 2005 which found 13 deaths and more than 1,500 injuries connected with use of the pumps among people 12 to 21 years of age. The study authors reported that, although the devices malfunctioned at times, some teens used the pumps incorrectly, dropped them or did not take good care of them. Insulin pumps, which are the size of a cell phone and send insulin into the body through a plastic tube inserted under the skin, are worn by an estimated 100,000 teenagers. Users must tell the device how much insulin to give before each meal, based on estimated carbohydrates; the pumps also deliver a continuous low level of insulin. The devices, some of which come with glucose monitors, provide an alternative to multiple daily injections of insulin by syringe. However, without appropriate glucose monitoring, the pumps can increase the risk of getting sick more quickly compared to injections.
Published by: Associated Press (Website:http://www.ap.org)
Link to text: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/24456042/
