The Benefits of Insulin Pumps

(RxWiki News) Young patients with type 1 diabetes may have a lower risk of complications if they use insulin pumps instead of injections, according to a new study.

This new study found that the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis and severe hypoglycemia — two serious complications of diabetes — was lower in younger patients who used insulin pumps. This finding contradicts some past studies, which found that insulin pumps were tied to an increased risk of diabetic ketoacidosis.

In the current study, young patients with type 1 diabetes were less likely than those using insulin injections to experience diabetic ketoacidosis or severe hypoglycemia. This study included more than 30,000 patients who were 14 years old on average and had type 1 diabetes.

“These findings provide evidence for improved clinical outcomes associated with insulin pump therapy compared with injection therapy in children, adolescents, and young adults with type 1 diabetes,” the authors of this study wrote.

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition marked by the body’s inability to produce enough insulin or any insulin at all. Left untreated, diabetes can cause deadly complications. Consult your health care provider to determine the best diabetes management plan for you.

This study was published in JAMA.

Information on study funding sources and potential conflicts of interest was not available at the time of publication.