In pursuit of excellence in diabetes care: trends in insulin delivery

Diabetes mellitushas been estimated to affect 2.9 million people in the UK. Large-scale clinical trials conclusively demonstrate that elevated blood glucose levels are associated with an increased risk of micro-and macrovascular complications. The high rates of morbidity and mortality associated with this condition demonstrate how important effective glycaemic control is. Subcutaneous insulin injection continues to be the mainstay of therapy for all people with type 1 diabetes mellitusand the majority of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, there are a number of barriers to insulin therapy. For example, conventional insulin delivery is arguably time consuming. Furthermore, it has been associated with common errors, such as inaccurate dosing and administration (National Patient Safety Agency, 2010). Insulin pendevices have various advantages over conventional delivery. Their ease of use and incorporation into busy lifestyles may improve diabetes control with much less effort, while mainta...