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Written By: ANI | Published : June 10, 2013 6:17 PM IST
London, June 10 (ANI): A new discovery of an artificial pancreas could one day change the lives of millions suffering from diabetes. Blood glucose levels are monitored by the device, which uses an infra red data link to relay info to an insulin pump attached to the patient's body, which adjusts insulin levels accordingly.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have been working on the artificial pancreas for many years and by the end of this year, 24 people will have taken part in home trials, the Independent reported. However, the device still has a long way before it is commonly available as a treatment for type 1 diabetes, and will initially be used only to stop people's insulin levels from falling too low at night.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a metabolic disease which is characterised by high blood sugar levels. It can be caused either due to the lack of insulin (type 1 diabetes) or because the body's cells fail to respond to the insulin produced (type 2 diabetes). Some of the common symptoms of diabetes are hunger, frequent urination and increased thirst. While type 1 diabetes is usually genetic, type 2 diabetes is caused more by lifestyle factors. It is one of the common 'lifestyle diseases' which is plaguing people in the developed countries and often has a causal link to heart diseases, hypertension and obesity.
