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Unintended insulin delivery using Omnipod DASH during a high-altitude flight
Muneeb Shah1,2, Yasmin Hadian2, Maya Peltsverger3
1Dermatology, Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Buies Creek, North Carolina, USA.
Abstract:
Insulin pumps are an important tool in the management of type I diabetes mellitus. Omnipod DASH is a tubeless insulin pump that delivers insulin through customisable basal rate and bolus amounts. There is no data available to date on how this insulin pump delivery system is influenced by changes in atmospheric pressure during flight at high altitudes. We report a case of a 55-year-old woman who developed symptomatic hypoglycaemia while using this pump during flight in a non-pressurised cabin. This report demonstrates the risk of insulin pump therapy at high altitudes. Flight emergencies involving rapid depressurisation may lead to catastrophic hypoglycaemia. Caution should be exercised when using insulin pump therapy during flights and manual insulin delivery should be considered.
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