Patients suffering from Type 1 diabetes are constantly at risk of hypoglycemia a dangerous drop in blood sugar levels. This condition can become life-threatening and is typically treated by injecting the hormone glucagon into the body.
To address cases where patients fail to recognize that their blood sugar has dropped to dangerous levels, engineers at MIT have designed an implantable device that automatically releases glucagon when it detects low blood sugar levels in the body.
This device could be especially helpful during sleep or for children with diabetes who are unable to administer injections themselves.
Daniel Anderson, senior author of the research and a professor at MIT, stated that the goal was to develop a device that can continuously protect patients from sudden drops in blood sugar. He believes this innovation could help both patients and their families overcome the fear of hypoglycemia.
Researchers also noted that this device could potentially be used to deliver emergency doses of epinephrine a drug commonly used to treat heart attacks and severe allergic reactions.
