Diabetics, Don’t Forget Your Insulin Pump’s Clock This Weekend

Brett Smith for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online

Forgetting to turn a clock back this weekend can be a minor inconvenience for most people, but forgetting about the changeover from Daylight Savings Time can be very dangerous for some patients with diabetes.

According to a new report in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, diabetics who use insulin pumps need to remember to adjust the clock on their device this weekend, or else face the danger of incorrect dosage issues. The study authors said their primary motivation in writing the article is to raise awareness of an issue that has gone relatively unpublicized.

“Some diabetes patients who use insulin pumps may forget to change the clock that is found in these devices,” study author Saleh Aldasouqi, associate professor of medicine at Michigan State University, explained in a recent statement. “Forgetting to change the time can result in insulin dosing errors that can be harmful.”

Receiving an excessive amount of insulin can cause hypoglycemia, which may trigger seizures, fainting spells or even coma in extremely rare cases. Hyperglycemia is caused by inadequate insulin being supplied by the body and in the short term, isn’t as dangerous as hypoglycemia. Early effects of hyperglycemia can include fatigue and frequent urination. However, the longer-term effects of hyperglycemia might lead to the body becoming acidic, referred to as diabetic ketoacidosis, generating life-threatening problems.

In addition to patients who have forgotten to make the Daylight Savings Time change, Aldasouqi has also found that some diabetics mistakenly confuse the a.m./p.m. settings on their device or forget to set their insulin pump’s clock after changing the battery.

“At this point, I haven’t seen a fatal error occur, but why wait?” he said. “That’s why it’s important to raise awareness about this issue now and encourage physicians and patients alike to make sure these clocks are set up correctly at all times.”

Insulin therapy comes in two distinct forms: basal and bolus. While basal therapy aims to modulate blood sugar throughout the day and night, bolus therapy sends out insulin in bursts around mealtimes. Patients being treated under bolus therapy may be affected more considerably if the timing of their device is off.

“Since this delivery method is timed around meals, if a patient eats lunch around noon, they’ll get their burst of insulin at the wrong time,” Aldasouqi said. “If it’s too much or too little, it could send them to the hospital or worse.”

Some have suggested using GPS technology to solve the problem of an incorrect clock, but privacy concerns have held up this type of solution. For now, doctors are asking patients to simply be vigilant, but Aldasouqi said the medical community also needs to educate patients on how to ensure that pumps are set correctly.

“The implications of remembering to change the clock in these devices means so much more than just remembering to adjust the alarm clock for that extra hour of sleep,” he said. “As a physician, I’m going to do what I can to make sure patients are safe.”

Related Reading:

> Spring Forward: Heart Attacks More Numerous After Daylight Saving Time In The Spring
> Understanding Diabetes – Signs, Symptoms And Who Is At Risk

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May we suggest – Mayo Clinic The Essential Diabetes Book

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