Automated insulin delivery systems are automated (or semi-automated) systems designed to assist people with insulin-requiring diabetes, by automatically adjusting insulin delivery in response to blood glucose levels. Currently available systems (as of October 2020) can only deliver (and regulate delivery of) a single hormone—insulin. Other systems currently in development aim to improve on current systems by adding one or more additional hormones that can be delivered as needed, providing something closer to the endocrine functionality of the pancreas.
The endocrine functionality of the pancreas is provided by islet cells which produce the hormones insulin and glucagon. Artificial pancreatic technology mimics the secretion of these hormones into the bloodstream in response to the body's changing blood glucose levels. Maintaining balanced blood sugar levels is crucial to the function of the brain, liver, and kidneys.[2] Therefore, for people with diabetes, it is necessary that the levels be kept balanced when the body cannot produce insulin itself.[2]
Automated insulin delivery (AID) systems are often referred to using the term artificial pancreas, but the term has no precise, universally accepted definition. For uses other than automated insulin delivery, see Artificial pancreas (disambiguation).
- ^ "2024.0042 | Collections Online". collections.thackraymuseum.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
- ^ a b "The Pancreas and Its Functions | Columbia University Department of Surgery". columbiasurgery.org. Retrieved 2018-11-07.