(NAPSA)—There’s good news for many of the 17 million Ameri- cans living with diabetes. A new type of therapy may help reduce the numberof health risks associated with diabetes and make treating it easier. Currently, many people who take insulin to treat diabetes adhere to strict sleep and meal schedules, timing their shots with food intake. Not only can this process be painful, it can be a difficult one to maintain. Despite their best efforts, many patients who take shots often have difficulty controlling their blood-sugarlevels. The new therapy involves using an insulin pump. The pump lets patients switch from as many as three shots per day to just one insertion every two to three days. The pumpis about thesize of a pager and can be worn on a belt or concealed underclothing. It delivers a continuous supply of insulin and can be programmed to deliver additional insulin at mealtimes to correct for high blood sugar. In addition, pump therapy lets patients start or stop insulin deliv- ery on demand, giving them greater flexibility and allowing them to lead more activelives. Perhaps equally important, studies show the pumps provide tighter glucose control than any other insulin delivery method for manydiabetes patients. Insulin pump therapy can be a convenient alternative to insulin injections. That’s significant because doctors have long known thattight glucose control can prolong life an average of five years. It can also dramatically reduce the risk of diabetes-related eye disease (by up to 76 percent), nerve disease (by as much as 60 percent) and kidney complications (by up to 56 percent). Additionally, pump therapy has been shown to reduce severe hypoglycemia by nearly 85 percent. Physicians frequently prescribe the pumps to children because insulin pumps are easy to teach, learn and use. To learn more about pump therapy (whichis covered by most insurance plans, Medicare and Medicaid), see your doctor, visit www.minimed.com or call 1-866-646-4633. The insulin pump is indicated for the continuous delivery of insulin, at set and variable rates, for the management of diabetes mellitus in persons requiring insulin. Patients should always discuss the potential risks and benefits with a physician. Pump therapy is not recommended for people who are unwilling or unable to perform a minimum of four blood glucose tests per day and to maintain contact with their healthcare professional. Caution: Federal law restricts this device to sale by or on the order of a physician. Please see your healthcare professional to see if an insulin pump is right for you.
