Recently,
a group of scientist and engineers in California demonstrated an
incredibly elegant and innovative solution to the problem of blood sugar
monitoring for diabetics - a temporary tattoo that can automatically
detect blood sugar levels!
Diabetes is a
metabolic disease where the body cannot process the glucose in food,
leading, in the short term, to high blood sugar and, in the long term,
to a host of medical problems. The only treatment for diabetes is
dietary changes in conjunction with regular doses of insulin, which
promotes the absorption and storage of insulin from the blood in the
bones and fatty tissues.
Since the
determination of what causes diabetes symptoms and the discovery of
insulin as a treatment, scientists have worked hard to improve the
quality of life of diabetic patients. Devices for administering insulin
have been made smaller, more efficient and easier to use. Insulin pumps
have been developed, which are worn by the patient and subcutaneously
administer both a continual background dose of the drug and larger doses
in response to increased blood sugar levels.
However, all of
these treatment options require the patient to undergo regular blood
sugar testing, to enable the adjustment of insulin dose and prevent
dangerous ‘hypos’, whereby the patient’s blood sugar drops too far,
causing the patient to feel unwell and, in severe cases, lose
consciousness. Current blood testing kits rely on the patient pricking
their skin and applying a drop of blood to a testing stick, often
multiple times a day. This can cause pain and inconvenience to the
patient, and can lead to reluctance to monitor blood sugars.
The newly
developed tattoo works by exploiting the changes in the body’s
electro-chemical responses caused by changes in blood sugar. The tattoo
applies a small electrical shock and measures the response, converting
this into a figure for blood sugar. Recent successful trials proved that
the tattoos are as accurate as invasive testing methods, and
researchers are now looking to develop a simple readout facility and
improve the life of the tattoo.
So far this
looks to be the biggest improvement in blood pressure monitoring since
the development of spring-loaded finger pricks (ouch!)
Posted by , Published at 11:15 AM and have
