MiniMed 640G integrated continuous glucose monitoring and insulin delivery system

Type 1 diabetes occurs when your body cannot produce enough of a hormone called insulin. People with the condition rely on insulin injections or infusions to manage their blood sugar levels and prevent serious complications. To calculate the right volume, they must keep track of the amount of carbohydrate they eat and drink and regularly check their blood sugar levels.

Closed-loop systems like this one, which continuously monitor blood sugar levels and use a computerised algorithm to automatically adjust the amount of insulin being delivered through a pump, reduce the time and effort needed to effectively manage type 1 diabetes. Because they replicate the work of the pancreas, which makes and releases insulin in the body, they are sometimes known as an artificial pancreas.

The MiniMed 640G is an example of the simplest type of closed-loop system, called low-glucose suspend (LGS). Launched in 2015, it incorporates the SmartGuard™ algorithm that predicts and prevents episodes of hypoglycaemia (dangerously low blood sugar) by automatically suspending insulin delivery if blood glucose is predicted to drop below a pre-set level within 30 minutes. The device was the first of Medtronic’s pumps to feature a colour screen and is waterproof, allowing users to wear it continuously even while bathing or swimming.

The system includes the pump itself and consumable components. The reservoirs are pre-filled with insulin before being inserted into the pump and connected to a flexible plastic tube (the infusion set) which is inserted under the skin. These must be changed every two to three days to avoid infection. A separate, rechargeable transmitter collects and calculates blood sugar readings from a sensor – also positioned under the skin – at five-minute intervals and wirelessly sends these to the pump.

This system belonged to Stephen O’Hara, an airport worker who has lived with the condition for over 30 years. Over that time, he has seen profound changes in insulin delivery management, from needing to inject insulin drawn from a vial four times a day when first diagnosed in 1992, to using disposable pre-filled pen injectors before getting his first insulin pump on the NHS around 2015. Moving to a closed-loop system was revolutionary for O’Hara, who says: “I have gone from being … locked away scared in case I make a mistake and collapse to literally not having a care in the world … I rule the diabetes it doesn’t rule me ANYMORE”.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when your body cannot produce enough of a hormone called insulin. People with the condition rely on insulin injections or infusions to manage their blood sugar levels and prevent serious complications. To calculate the right volume, they must keep track of the amount of carbohydrate they eat and drink and regularly check their blood sugar levels.

Closed-loop systems like this one, which continuously monitor blood sugar levels and use a computerised algorithm to automatically adjust the amount of insulin being delivered through a pump, reduce the time and effort needed to effectively manage type 1 diabetes. Because they replicate the work of the pancreas, which makes and releases insulin in the body, they are sometimes known as an artificial pancreas.

The MiniMed 640G is an example of the simplest type of closed-loop system, called low-glucose suspend (LGS). Launched in 2015, it incorporates the SmartGuard™ algorithm that predicts and prevents episodes of hypoglycaemia (dangerously low blood sugar) by automatically suspending insulin delivery if blood glucose is predicted to drop below a pre-set level within 30 minutes. The device was the first of Medtronic’s pumps to feature a colour screen and is waterproof, allowing users to wear it continuously even while bathing or swimming.

The system includes the pump itself and consumable components. The reservoirs are pre-filled with insulin before being inserted into the pump and connected to a flexible plastic tube (the infusion set) which is inserted under the skin. These must be changed every two to three days to avoid infection. A separate, rechargeable transmitter collects and calculates blood sugar readings from a sensor – also positioned under the skin – at five-minute intervals and wirelessly sends these to the pump.

This system belonged to Stephen O’Hara, an airport worker who has lived with the condition for over 30 years. Over that time, he has seen profound changes in insulin delivery management, from needing to inject insulin drawn from a vial four times a day when first diagnosed in 1992, to using disposable pre-filled pen injectors before getting his first insulin pump on the NHS around 2015. Moving to a closed-loop system was revolutionary for O’Hara, who says: “I have gone from being … locked away scared in case I make a mistake and collapse to literally not having a care in the world … I rule the diabetes it doesn’t rule me ANYMORE”.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when your body cannot produce enough of a hormone called insulin. People with the condition rely on insulin injections or infusions to manage their blood sugar levels and prevent serious complications. To calculate the right volume, they must keep track of the amount of carbohydrate they eat and drink and regularly check their blood sugar levels.

Closed-loop systems like this one, which continuously monitor blood sugar levels and use a computerised algorithm to automatically adjust the amount of insulin being delivered through a pump, reduce the time and effort needed to effectively manage type 1 diabetes. Because they replicate the work of the pancreas, which makes and releases insulin in the body, they are sometimes known as an artificial pancreas.

The MiniMed 640G is an example of the simplest type of closed-loop system, called low-glucose suspend (LGS). Launched in 2015, it incorporates the SmartGuard™ algorithm that predicts and prevents episodes of hypoglycaemia (dangerously low blood sugar) by automatically suspending insulin delivery if blood glucose is predicted to drop below a pre-set level within 30 minutes. The device was the first of Medtronic’s pumps to feature a colour screen and is waterproof, allowing users to wear it continuously even while bathing or swimming.

The system includes the pump itself and consumable components. The reservoirs are pre-filled with insulin before being inserted into the pump and connected to a flexible plastic tube (the infusion set) which is inserted under the skin. These must be changed every two to three days to avoid infection. A separate, rechargeable transmitter collects and calculates blood sugar readings from a sensor – also positioned under the skin – at five-minute intervals and wirelessly sends these to the pump.

This system belonged to Stephen O’Hara, an airport worker who has lived with the condition for over 30 years. Over that time, he has seen profound changes in insulin delivery management, from needing to inject insulin drawn from a vial four times a day when first diagnosed in 1992, to using disposable pre-filled pen injectors before getting his first insulin pump on the NHS around 2015. Moving to a closed-loop system was revolutionary for O’Hara, who says: “I have gone from being … locked away scared in case I make a mistake and collapse to literally not having a care in the world … I rule the diabetes it doesn’t rule me ANYMORE”.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when your body cannot produce enough of a hormone called insulin. People with the condition rely on insulin injections or infusions to manage their blood sugar levels and prevent serious complications. To calculate the right volume, they must keep track of the amount of carbohydrate they eat and drink and regularly check their blood sugar levels.

Closed-loop systems like this one, which continuously monitor blood sugar levels and use a computerised algorithm to automatically adjust the amount of insulin being delivered through a pump, reduce the time and effort needed to effectively manage type 1 diabetes. Because they replicate the work of the pancreas, which makes and releases insulin in the body, they are sometimes known as an artificial pancreas.

The MiniMed 640G is an example of the simplest type of closed-loop system, called low-glucose suspend (LGS). Launched in 2015, it incorporates the SmartGuard™ algorithm that predicts and prevents episodes of hypoglycaemia (dangerously low blood sugar) by automatically suspending insulin delivery if blood glucose is predicted to drop below a pre-set level within 30 minutes. The device was the first of Medtronic’s pumps to feature a colour screen and is waterproof, allowing users to wear it continuously even while bathing or swimming.

The system includes the pump itself and consumable components. The reservoirs are pre-filled with insulin before being inserted into the pump and connected to a flexible plastic tube (the infusion set) which is inserted under the skin. These must be changed every two to three days to avoid infection. A separate, rechargeable transmitter collects and calculates blood sugar readings from a sensor – also positioned under the skin – at five-minute intervals and wirelessly sends these to the pump.

This system belonged to Stephen O’Hara, an airport worker who has lived with the condition for over 30 years. Over that time, he has seen profound changes in insulin delivery management, from needing to inject insulin drawn from a vial four times a day when first diagnosed in 1992, to using disposable pre-filled pen injectors before getting his first insulin pump on the NHS around 2015. Moving to a closed-loop system was revolutionary for O’Hara, who says: “I have gone from being … locked away scared in case I make a mistake and collapse to literally not having a care in the world … I rule the diabetes it doesn’t rule me ANYMORE”.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when your body cannot produce enough of a hormone called insulin. People with the condition rely on insulin injections or infusions to manage their blood sugar levels and prevent serious complications. To calculate the right volume, they must keep track of the amount of carbohydrate they eat and drink and regularly check their blood sugar levels.

Closed-loop systems like this one, which continuously monitor blood sugar levels and use a computerised algorithm to automatically adjust the amount of insulin being delivered through a pump, reduce the time and effort needed to effectively manage type 1 diabetes. Because they replicate the work of the pancreas, which makes and releases insulin in the body, they are sometimes known as an artificial pancreas.

The MiniMed 640G is an example of the simplest type of closed-loop system, called low-glucose suspend (LGS). Launched in 2015, it incorporates the SmartGuard™ algorithm that predicts and prevents episodes of hypoglycaemia (dangerously low blood sugar) by automatically suspending insulin delivery if blood glucose is predicted to drop below a pre-set level within 30 minutes. The device was the first of Medtronic’s pumps to feature a colour screen and is waterproof, allowing users to wear it continuously even while bathing or swimming.

The system includes the pump itself and consumable components. The reservoirs are pre-filled with insulin before being inserted into the pump and connected to a flexible plastic tube (the infusion set) which is inserted under the skin. These must be changed every two to three days to avoid infection. A separate, rechargeable transmitter collects and calculates blood sugar readings from a sensor – also positioned under the skin – at five-minute intervals and wirelessly sends these to the pump.

This system belonged to Stephen O’Hara, an airport worker who has lived with the condition for over 30 years. Over that time, he has seen profound changes in insulin delivery management, from needing to inject insulin drawn from a vial four times a day when first diagnosed in 1992, to using disposable pre-filled pen injectors before getting his first insulin pump on the NHS around 2015. Moving to a closed-loop system was revolutionary for O’Hara, who says: “I have gone from being … locked away scared in case I make a mistake and collapse to literally not having a care in the world … I rule the diabetes it doesn’t rule me ANYMORE”.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when your body cannot produce enough of a hormone called insulin. People with the condition rely on insulin injections or infusions to manage their blood sugar levels and prevent serious complications. To calculate the right volume, they must keep track of the amount of carbohydrate they eat and drink and regularly check their blood sugar levels.

Closed-loop systems like this one, which continuously monitor blood sugar levels and use a computerised algorithm to automatically adjust the amount of insulin being delivered through a pump, reduce the time and effort needed to effectively manage type 1 diabetes. Because they replicate the work of the pancreas, which makes and releases insulin in the body, they are sometimes known as an artificial pancreas.

The MiniMed 640G is an example of the simplest type of closed-loop system, called low-glucose suspend (LGS). Launched in 2015, it incorporates the SmartGuard™ algorithm that predicts and prevents episodes of hypoglycaemia (dangerously low blood sugar) by automatically suspending insulin delivery if blood glucose is predicted to drop below a pre-set level within 30 minutes. The device was the first of Medtronic’s pumps to feature a colour screen and is waterproof, allowing users to wear it continuously even while bathing or swimming.

The system includes the pump itself and consumable components. The reservoirs are pre-filled with insulin before being inserted into the pump and connected to a flexible plastic tube (the infusion set) which is inserted under the skin. These must be changed every two to three days to avoid infection. A separate, rechargeable transmitter collects and calculates blood sugar readings from a sensor – also positioned under the skin – at five-minute intervals and wirelessly sends these to the pump.

This system belonged to Stephen O’Hara, an airport worker who has lived with the condition for over 30 years. Over that time, he has seen profound changes in insulin delivery management, from needing to inject insulin drawn from a vial four times a day when first diagnosed in 1992, to using disposable pre-filled pen injectors before getting his first insulin pump on the NHS around 2015. Moving to a closed-loop system was revolutionary for O’Hara, who says: “I have gone from being … locked away scared in case I make a mistake and collapse to literally not having a care in the world … I rule the diabetes it doesn’t rule me ANYMORE”.