Insulin pump therapy: education and its goals

Insulin pump therapy represents nowadays the way of insulin administration most similar to the physiological insulin secretion. This form of intensified insulin regime is used mostly (but not exclusively) in type 1 diabetes patients. Insulin pump therapy can be efficiently combined with continuous glucose monitoring. Even there are available insulin pumps which can serve as continuous glucose monitoring signal receiver themselves and are capable to stop automatically basal insulin infusion to prevent hypoglycemia. By this technological combination it is possible to reach near normoglycemia without increasing the risk of severe hypoglycemia. In the Czech Republic this therapy is covered by insurance when defined indication criteria are fulfilled. To reach this therapy full potential the patient as well as the professionals must be trained properly to know all technical aspects of this therapy as well as it is necessary to gain further knowledge. Particularly important is knowledge on food nutrition content and on the glycemic effect of different meals. All these factors are discussed in details in the paper.