Accu-chek Combo Insulin Pump
The Accu-Chek Combo insulin pump is called the Combo System because it combines a blood test meter, bolus calculator and insulin pump.
First, there’s a blood test meter which might best be called a handheld device as the handheld device is a blood test meter, but it’s also so much more.
Blood tests are stored in the meter
Blood test results are stored in the meter so that they can be accessed and viewed in a way similar to the type of online software some may have used with other meters.
This information is essentially an on-board ‘paperless’ diary, listing both your blood test results as well as your insulin doses. Blood test strips and lancing device are separate.
Includes a built-in bolus calculator
Insulin pumps operate by delivering a basal rate 24-hours a day. That gives your body the insulin it needs just to keep going. You then do a bolus when you have a meal, or if your blood glucose levels are high and you need to bring them down. By getting to know your own needs, you will establish the best basal/bolus regime for yourself (it might need occasional adjustments).
The Combo meter includes bolus calculator (known in other pumps as a bolus wizard). If you pop in the amount of carbohydrates you are about to eat, plus do a blood test, it will suggest how much insulin should be in your bolus. It takes some of the maths out of each mealtime once you’ve established your carb-to-insulin ratios for various times of the day.
Colour screen
A simple but attractive part of the meter is the colour screen, making even a quick glance at your overall ranges as easy as looking at a colour pie chart showing the proportion of times your readings were within range.
And, if colour helps you understand your results, you might want also to change the basic black of the pump with a colourful “skin” to make it fit better (or even stand out more) with your lifestyle (you can choose from 8 colours).
Attached by a infusion set
The actual pump is attached to your body via an infusion set and tubing. It can be set to deliver basal doses low enough for even for small children, delivered 20 times an hour (once every 3 minutes, even for the smallest doses) and uses easy-to-learn menus to set up a system of insulin that works best for you.
Back to the meter, this shares its information on blood test results and carbs and insulin bolus calculations with the pump so that you need do nothing more than tell the meter to tell the pump to deliver the insulin.
Bluetooth integration
You do not need to access the pump as this is all done via Bluetooth technology. This is a remote control that really does work remotely (some leave an awful lot to be desired in this department). For a lot of people, the idea of wearing a pump is very unattractive, but the less obvious it is when worn, then the easier it is to come to terms with.
Accu-chek Combo Insulin Pump: More Information
- Waterproof: Waterproof for accidental submersion, splashing and so on.
- Batteries (for the pump): One 1.5-volt AA Alkaline (LR6) or lithium (FR6) battery or One 1.2-volt rechargeable NiMH AA (HR6) battery.
- Batteries (for the meter): x3 AAA alkaline batteries
- Blood test strips: Accu-Chek Aviva blood test strips
- Infusion sets: Accu-Chek FlexLink Infusion Set, Accu-Chek Rapid-D Link Infusion Set, Accu-Chek RapidLink Infusion Set, Accu-Chek TenderLink Infusion Set
