Insulin pumps are devices that deliver insulin through narrow, flexible plastic tubing that ends with a needle inserted just under the skin near the abdomen.
The insulin pump is about the size of a deck of cards, weighs about 3 ounces, and can be worn on a belt or carried in a pocket. Users set the pump to give a steady trickle or “basal” amount of insulin continuously throughout the day.
Pumps release “bolus” doses of insulin (several units at a time) at meals and at times when blood glucose is too high based on the programming set entered by the user. They also can be programmed to release smaller amounts of insulin throughout the day. Frequent blood glucose monitoring is essential to determine insulin dosages and to ensure that insulin is delivered.
