01/04/2022
Almost 1,000 adults and children with type 1 diabetes have been given a life-altering 'artificial pancreas' to test how effective the technology is in the real world.
The 'artificial pancreas' or hybrid closed loop technology (HCL) continually monitors blood glucose and automatically adjusts the amount of insulin given through a pump. It can eliminate finger prick tests and prevent life-threatening attacks, which can lead to seizures, coma or even death for people living with type 1 diabetes.
Six-year-old Charlotte is part of this pilot and her mum, Ange, who also has type 1 diabetes, is pleased Charlotte is taking part.
'Before the HCL was fitted, my husband and I would be up every two hours every night having to check Charlotte’s blood sugars and most times giving insulin, sometimes doing finger pricks or dealing with ketones due to quick rises in blood sugar. This was really hard as we both work full time.
It has given us tighter control as the continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is monitoring Charlotte’s blood sugars and the pump is reacting before we even know there's a problem. Hormones are a big factor at the moment, so interventions are still needed but this system is a godsend to us as we were at our wits’ end with worry, not being able to catch the highs before they got dangerous.'
Read more about how an artificial pancreas is benefiting patients living with type 1 diabetes. ➡️ https://www.england.nhs.uk/2022/04/nhs-runs-world-first-test-into-sci-fi-like-artificial-pancreases/
