LIFE JUST GOT EASIER
Posted: 13 January 2012
For people living with diabetes
In the last 20 years, research into one of America’s most prevalent diseases, type 2 diabetes, has led to earlier diagnosis and treatment for the condition that can lead to blindness, kidney failure, circulation problems, heart disease and death, if not managed.
As researchers delve deeper into causes and treatments of this disease on the rise – nearly 17 million in the U.S. alone – developments in self-care are also improving, making it easier for people living with diabetes to better monitor and control their condition. “We’ve come a long way,” says Patricia Addie-Gentle, RN, BSN, CDE, a Georgia-based diabetes education programs coordinator, referring to modern methods of glucose testing and insulin injections that can be performed by patients, any time, any place. “More recently, blood sugar measuring equipment was available only in a hospital setting but now patients can measure their sugar levels at home and know just how high it is and offset the complications prior to seeing a doctor because of these tests.” From at-home testing equipment to easy-to-use delivery devices that allow for simple and more comfortable administration of insulin, today’s patients are better equipped to monitor and manage their health. Even the handling of needles gets easier with removal devices that make detaching pen needles simple and pain free.
These advancements are especially helpful to patients who may have more difficultly administering insulin and handling needles. For example, insulin pens work like ballpoint pens, injecting insulin with the push of a button and making one-shot injections more common. Instead of using a vial and syringe, which can be difficult to read, insulin pens can be programmed to dial up the correct amount of insulin and provide illuminated numbers or loud clicks, an advantage for those with vision problems associated with their disease.
Needle removers allow the pen needles to be removed without a person needing to directly touch the needle, which protects anyone from handling a needle from injury and contamination. These devices also have loud clicks to let users know the needles are securely removed. “Needle removers are really good because no one wants to get stuck a second time,” says Addie-Gentle. “These devices are large enough to hold between two fingers, and ‘grab’ the needles to place into or remove from the injector – especially helpful for people with dexterity issues or visual impairment.” Removal devices also help avoid needle reuse, which can bend needles and cause more pain, inflammation and infection.
For children and seniors, needle removers not only protect unsteady hands from accidentally sticking themselves but ensure caregivers do not risk being stuck and getting an infection as well. For people living with diabetes, managing and taking control of the disease is the key to a longer, healthier life. With today’s ease-of-use products, those longer years just got easier.