Advances in Devices for Insulin Delivery and Glucose Monitoring

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease which poses a major challenge to healthcare and is characterized by elevated blood glucose levels resulting from either an underproduction or underutilization of the insulin hormone. The actual cause of Type 1 diabetes is unknown, but it most likely results from an autoimmune mediated destruction of the insulin producing pancreatic beta cells that reduces or terminates insulin production. On the other hand, type 2 diabetes is often caused by obesity and induces a gradual desensitization of the body’s cells to insulin. Recent advances in diagnostic methods have heralded in a new era of diabetes management with improved glucose control, reduced fear of complications and better compliance with intensive therapies. Additional efforts are being made to refine these methods to allow their implementation into clinical practice and gain universal acceptance. Advances in diagnostic methods for insulin delivery and glucose monitoring are an important step forward in greatly improving the lives of diabetic patients.