Loading ...So, do you think this scenario is realistic or not? A person with diabetes goes out for dinner. He orders a medium sirloin steak with all the fixings, a couple glasses of wine and potatoes au gratin. For dessert, he eats a large slice of cheesecake—real cheesecake with lots of real sugar. And he’s fine. No problem. No danger. No nothing. He doesn’t even check his blood sugar. Is this possible?
It might be possible when you consider the hottest topic in diabetes research, the artificial pancreas. The goal of the artificial pancreas is to provide people with diabetes a safe, reliable, and worry-free way to handle their blood sugar. If the new technology is successful, as it promises to be, diabetes patients will no longer need to constantly monitor blood sugar levels and correct with insulin and glucose. Instead, the artificial pancreas will do the job for them. In case this sounds like a fancy name for a CGM (continuous glucose monitor), it’s not. The artificial pancreas combines the technology of the CGM with the convenience of the insulin pump into a single, computer-controlled unit that does both. The artificial pancreas monitors, adjusts, communicates, controls, regulates, and provides a solution for people with diabetes at the times when blood sugar levels are most difficult to control.
Latest News on the Artificial Pancreas
The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s (JDRF) has been hard at work on its Artificial Pancreas Project – a coalition of diabetes researchers and businesses focused on bringing the artificial pancreas to market.
The Artificial Pancreas Project has experienced several milestones. One of the advancements is in the area of glucagon. Not only does the artificial pancreas deliver insulin to diabetes patients, but it also helps the person with diabetes by producing glucagon. In several widely-publicized studies, reported in scientific journals and at the recent American Diabetes Association Annual Meeting in June, children and adults were able to maintain normal blood sugar levels even after eating a large meal, exercising before bed, and other diabetes no-nos. The studies have been successful and encouraging.
The JDRF wants to take this technology as far as they can. The goal has its short-term ramifications and long-term reaches. For the short-term, they want to allow diabetes patients and their families live in a way that is free from the difficulty, dangers, and fears of experiencing out-of-control blood sugar levels. For the long term, the JDRF is committed to curing diabetes. The artificial pancreas is simply one step—an important one—in getting to that goal.
The Artificial Pancreas and its Most Grateful Recipients
The technology is especially important for kids with diabetes, for whom monitoring blood sugar, carrying around accessories, and staving off the temptation for sugary foods is may be more difficult. In addition, studies have shown that teens are unlikely to use a CGM. As a result, they may be more likely to use an artificial pancreas. Those with busy schedules and constant interruptions find it difficult to check blood sugar levels. They, too, may profit from the new technology.
So, When Can We Expect the Artificial Pancreas?
Anticipation is building, and people are asking the question, “When can I get an artificial pancreas?” Progress is still being made, and since doctors and scientists fine-tune the technology and make necessary modifications, it won’t hit the production line tomorrow. Soon, however, it will be there. JDRF representatives predict that within the next twelve months we may see a version of the artificial pancreas that is targeted toward preventing hypoglycemia. As the technology increases, the next three or four years will see the rollout of additional artificial pancreas devices that control other challenges of the diabetic life.
The artificial pancreas is an exciting development in diabetes treatment, and it is one, which any person with diabetes should be excited about. As Aaron Kowalski, a leading figure in the artificial pancreas project has said, it’s about “improving the quality of life,” and that is something that any one with diabetes would be happy about.
By Daniel Threlfall
