Learn How Diabetic Supplies Have Changed Over The Years

By Thomas Reed


Over the past forty some years, there have been a lot of changes in diabetes technology. Management of this disease has seen significant changes in the types of insulin, measuring glucose, and insulin administration. The changes in diabetic supplies have greatly improved the lives of countless people. In the late 70s glucose was monitored with urine using monitoring tapes, tablets that changed color, and dipsticks had barely been introduced.

In spite of nonexistent technology, health care practitioners believed diabetes management was state of the art. There were no notable changes in the management of diabetes from 1947 to 1977. Folks monitored glucose in the urine and took one to two doses of insulin at a fixed amount. Today there are personal glucose monitors that test the blood, many different types of insulin, and a variety of options for injection. This disease requires a high level of diligence by the patient.

Because of the nature of the disease, it necessitates attention several times during the day. The patient must calculate meals and snacks, administer insulin, and check glucose. In addition, the need to pay close attention to how they feel to identify hypoglycemia. This condition requires a higher level of attention than most. Unfortunately, over the years, this fact has not changed.

Professionals who do not have the disease do not fully understand the huge burden their patients have. Regardless of the improvements that have changed the way people take insulin and monitor glucose, the day to day burden of managing the disease has not changed. Although the advances have made testing and insulin administering simpler, the individual will still need to be diligent with the attention this condition requires.

Nutrition therapy has also been affected by changes. There are many discussions about the type of food that should or should not be consumed. However, the actual concern seems to be whether insulin should be made to match the food or foods should match the insulin. For years patients were prescribed a diet, met with the dietitian, and given food exchange lists or lists with carbohydrate values. The insulin dosage was set and the foods prescribed.

With Diabetes Type I, the patient measures glucose and based on the level, adjusts the insulin dose. This takes place before the meal. Today, insulin dosage is matched to the food that is eaten. However, this does not give permission for people to consume anything they want. Contrary to traditional dosing, this method gives insulin following a meal.

This type of insulin requires the patient to spend time evaluating their meal content, amount, and type. The person will then make a judgment and determine the amount of insulin they need to administer. Not every individual, or family member, is capable to of performing this type of analysis. Not all patients have the skill to calculate the right dose of insulin.

In the past, people ate their meal after they took a fixed dose of insulin. Now they have the option to select foods, analyze them, taking glucose level into account, and determine the dose of insulin that is needed following a meal. This method is indicative of a shift in managing diabetes.




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