Understanding the Use of Insulin in the Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes

Contents:

Medical Video: Type 2 Diabetes | Nucleus Health

If you or your child has type 1 diabetes, you may need lifelong insulin therapy. After the diagnosis, there will be a "honeymoon" period. During this period, blood sugar is controlled with little or no insulin. However, this phase is not enough.

What is insulin?

Insulin is a polypeptide hormone produced by the pancreas. Insulin plays a very important role in regulating glucose levels in the blood and helps to convert blood sugar (glucose) into energy. This hormone also helps the body store excess sugar in the muscles, fat cells, and liver and then use it when the body needs it.

After eating, blood sugar (glucose) will rise. This increase in glucose triggers the pancreas to release insulin into the bloodstream. Insulin enters body cells, tells cells to open space, and allows glucose to enter. After entering, the cells will convert glucose into energy or store it for later use.

Without insulin, the body cannot use or store glucose for energy. Instead, glucose will remain in the bloodstream.

What are the types of insulin?

Insulin is classified based on how it works in the body (works at the beginning, when it is at the top, and based on its duration) also based on its action whether fast, short, medium, long or very long. There are 4 types of insulin, namely:

  • Insulin with fast action. This hormone starts working about 15 minutes after injection, peaks around 1 hour, and continues to work for 2-4 hours. Examples are insulin glulisine (Apidra), insulin lispro (Humalog), and aspart insulin (Novolog).
  • Insulin with ordinary action. It usually reaches the blood flow within 30 minutes after injection, peaks 2-3 hours after injection, and is effective for about 3-6 hours. For example Humulin R and Novolin R.
  • Insulin with intermediate action. It usually reaches blood flow around 2-4 hours after injection, peaks 4-12 hours later, and is effective for 12-18 hours. For example NPH (Humulin N, Novolin N).
  • Insulin with slow action. This hormone will reach blood flow several hours after injection and tends to reduce glucose levels fairly evenly over a 24 hour period. Examples: detemir insulin (Levemir) and insulin glargine (Lantus).

How do you use insulin?

Insulin cannot be drunk or eaten because stomach enzymes will be damaged during the digestive process, just like the protein contained in food. Therefore, insulin must be injected into the tissue under the skin to get into the blood.

In some rare cases, insulin can cause an allergic reaction in the area of ​​the injection. Talk to your doctor if you experience an allergic reaction.

Injection. You can use a small needle, syringe, or insulin pen to inject insulin under the skin.

If you choose the injection method, then you need a mixture of several types of insulin to use throughout the day and night. Some injections per day which include a combination of slow-acting insulin, such as Lantus or Levemir combined with fast-acting insulin, such as Apidra, Humolog or Novolog, will be more like the use of normal insulin in the body than using the old method (one or two injections a day). Three or more injections of insulin a day can actually increase your blood sugar levels.

Insulin pump. This tool is a device the size of a cellphone used outside the body. A tube connects an insulin reservoir with a catheter inserted under the stomach skin. This type of pump can be installed anywhere, for example at the waist, in the pocket, or with a specially designed pump belt. There is also a choice of wireless pumps.

The pump is designed to deliver a number of fast-acting insulin automatically. This fixed dose shows the basal level of the body, also as a substitute for the slow action insulin you use.

When eating, the pump is adjusted according to the portion of carbohydrates and blood sugar levels, this is called the "bolus" insulin dose which aims to manage the incoming food and regulate the blood sugar level if it increases.

Understanding the Use of Insulin in the Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes
Rated 5/5 based on 2557 reviews
💖 show ads