Dozens of people with type 1 diabetes will receive an artificial pancreas this month. It measures and corrects the patients’ blood sugar levels day and night. The device is intended to be placed with 100 adults.
The artificial pancreas was developed by a company in Goor and health insurer Menzis will pay for the device for a group of patients in the middle and east of the country. The test persons are selected by doctors.
A few years ago, the artificial pancreas was also tested in some diabetes patients, but now the device has received a European certification and therefore it can be tested on a larger group of people.
Uncurable, serious complications
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. The pancreas no longer produces insulin, so that the blood glucose levels are not maintained. Type 1 diabetes cannot be cured.
Patients often face complications such as blindness, cardiovascular disease and kidney failure. Amputations are also sometimes required. The artificial pancreas must ensure that the blood sugar level stabilizes and the risk of complications is therefore reduced.
In the Netherlands about 100,000 people have type 1 diabetes.
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