Inhaled Insulin Means Better Quality of Life for DiabeticsAugust 22, 200322 August 2003: Inhaled insulin is emerging as a possible alternative to injected insulin for people with diabetes. Whilst insulin injections enable diabetics to eat and live relatively normally, there are disadvantages to this method of treatment, with multiple injections often needed for tight control. Additionally, the injected insulin cannot be absorbed into the system as quickly as naturally produced insulin. Inhaled insulin may be able to replace multiple injections of short-acting insulin. In a recent review published in The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, researchers evaluated the beneficial and adverse effects, and patient acceptability of inhaled insulin. Researchers found that the glycaemic control provided by a combination of inhaled insulin and once-daily injected insulin was comparable to that provided by the standard multiple injections. They also found that patient satisfaction was significantly improved, with patients reporting increased convenience and ease of use. However, there were problems with the design of the trials, and researchers were cautious with their conclusions. Dr Norman Waugh stated: "The amount of the insulin which has to be inhaled is greater than by injected, so there are doubts over cost-effectiveness. We also don't know whether there would be long-term lung side effects." He concluded: "More data are needed before inhaled insulin could become standard treatment." | |||||||||||||||||||||
Science Research Departments
Earth Science Alternative Energy | Anthropology and Archaeology | Earthquakes and Volcanoes | Environment and Nature News | Global Warming | High-Energy and Particle Physics | Ozone Hole | Scientists Slow Light | Tsunami Space Science Astronomy and Space News | Black Holes | Chandra X-Ray Observatory | Extrasolar Planets | Hubble Telescope | International Space Station | Jupiter Galileo Mission | Jupiter Cassini Mission Flyby | Mars Exploration | Mars Odyssey 2001 | Mars Global Surveyor | Mars Polar Lander | Mars Climate Orbiter | Mars Pathfinder | Meteors and Asteroids | Mir Space Station | NEAR Asteroid Probe Mission | Pluto Planet Debate | Search for Extraterrestrial Life | Space Shuttle Program | Space Shuttle Mission: STS-102 | Space Weather Life Science Animal News | Biotechnology and Genetics | Brain Research | Human Cloning | Dinosaur and Fossil Discoveries | Endangered Species | Gene Therapy | Genetically Modified Food | Stem Cell Research | Whales and Whaling |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||