One more device has been launched in the medical field. This year’s annual meeting of the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Medtronic, Inc. saw the global launch of a fresh technology called the Medtronic Paradigm Veo. It is apparently intended to offer extra protection against the risks linked with hypoglycemia.
The novel device may automatically postpone insulin delivery when it senses that glucose levels have fallen or are below a user-selected threshold. This feature may be designed to decrease the intensity of low blood sugar or hypoglycemia in circumstances where patients overlook or may be incapable to treat hypoglycemia. An unsafe and often regular episode in diabetes management, hypoglycemia may be one of the most frightening facet of living with type 1 diabetes. If left untreated, hypoglycemia may cause loss of consciousness, seizure, coma, or even death.
Every two weeks, on an average, a person with diabetes may experience more than one low blood sugar event. Moreover, every year, almost one in 14 people with insulin-treated diabetes may experience one or more incidents of severe hypoglycemia, which may need urgent treatment by a healthcare professional.
Their knack of recognizing or acting to avoid a grave occurrence may be impaired as a third of diabetes patients apparently suffer from hypoglycemia while asleep. Approximately 33 percent of diabetes-related deaths may be the outcome of acute complications like hypoglycemia. While a few patients may experience ‘warning signs’ prior to a hypoglycemic event like feeling shaky, sweating, tingling in the lips, confusion and irritability, others may not experience any warning signs at all reveal experts.
Chris O’Connell, president of the Diabetes business and senior vice president at Medtronic commented, “The Paradigm Veo is the biggest step thus far in our commitment to closing the loop on diabetes management. While not a cure for diabetes, we believe this automatic feature offers added protection, greater confidence and may lower the risk of injury associated with hypoglycemic events. Equally important, it will give patients and family members more peace of mind.”
The Paradigm Veo System comprises of an insulin pump with a constant glucose monitoring (CGM) system which is granted by means of a separate sensor and transmitter. The patient may use readings from the monitor in combination with irregular assenting fingerstick blood glucose measurements to comprehend their present glucose level. The patient then programs the insulin pump to supposedly carry a suitable quantity of insulin, based on these results.
Dr. Tadej Battelino, head of the Department of Pediatric Endocrinology at Ljubljana’s University Children’s Hospital added, “This latest technology is a significant breakthrough that will help people with diabetes to control their condition. In order to reduce the long-term risk of diabetes-related complications, which can cause blindness, kidney failure and heart attacks, patients should manage their glucose levels to as near normal as possible. Unfortunately, aggressive glucose control can increase the risk of severe hypoglycemia, which can render a patient unconscious—and if recurrent—can have very serious consequences. For the first time, a mechanical device can now warn the patient of this dangerous situation. The Paradigm Veo alerts patients if their glucose levels drop too low, and stops the delivery of more insulin if they don’t respond to the alert. Having this safety feature may allow patients greater control over severe hypoglycemia.”
Insulin may fight high blood sugar which is seen to be a major reason of heart disease and other long-term complications in type 1 diabetes. Nevertheless, if data transmitted from the sensor shows the patient’s glucose levels have supposedly plummeted underneath a definite threshold, the device may sound an alarm to alert the patient. If these alarms are overlooked, the insulin pump may automatically delay insulin delivery for up to two hours.
The Paradigm Veo will supposedly be launched in more than 50 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, Canada and Latin American. There are plans to commercialize the product in the United States by Medtronic who is working closely with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).