ABSTRACT
A relatively new technology is continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGMS). CGMS can be helpful, in particular, with analysis of blood glucose patterns over a three-day period. Although there are no specific studies of CGMS in the elderly, one would expect that it could be especially useful in elderly patients with erratic diabetes control or recurrent hypoglycemia, on intensive insulin regimens. Although insulin pumps have been available since 1963, there has been significant improvement in both size and programmability since that time. The advantages of insulin pump therapy are greater lifestyle flexibility, less hypoglycemia, improved weight control, better control with exercise, and better insulin coverage for the dawn phenomenon. Both pancreas and islet-cell transplantation have been used in selected cases to treat insulin deficiency in diabetes. The main source of insulin-producing cells for transplantation is cadaver pancreata. Inhaled insulin is another novel approach to delivering insulin into the blood stream.
