| There has been lots of research in the field of insulin | | | | above. When this is inhaled through the mouth the |
| administration. To keep blood sugar under control insulin | | | | finely powdered air reaches directly into the lungs. |
| is injected. Patients would prefer inhaled insulin to | | | | Insulin passes through the alveolar wall found in the lung |
| injected insulin especially, when sometimes you have to | | | | and enters into the blood circulation. Breathing once or |
| take up to 6 injections daily. The different targets tried | | | | twice would be sufficient. The content in the blister |
| for insulin delivery are through the upper airways i.e. the | | | | pack is 20 % insulin and 80% is not revealed. The |
| mouth, the nose, the skin and even as suppositories. | | | | insulin is reported to be stable for 6 to 24 months at |
| Oral delivery is not possible due to the acidity of the | | | | room temperature. Proper training will also be given to |
| stomach and the digestive enzymes of the intestines | | | | people on how to use the inhaler properly. Inhaled insulin |
| which prevent the insulin molecules to absorb into the | | | | enters the bloodstream more rapidly than by |
| blood. Inhaled insulin can reduce or eliminate the daily | | | | subcutaneous injection.Blood sugar control was |
| insulin injections.There are several systems in | | | | equivalent when compared to injected regular and |
| developmental phase by different pharmaceutical firms | | | | inhaled regular insulin. There are some concerns about |
| with products like AerodoseR, AERxTM Diabetes | | | | the long term effects of chronic inhalation of a growth |
| Management System, QdoseR, and ExuberaR.An | | | | protein into the lungs. Some experts are also worried |
| advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug | | | | about people exposed to second hand smoke or lung |
| Administration on September 8th 2005 recommended | | | | disease like asthma or emphysema especially since |
| approval of Exubera an inhaled insulin for adults with | | | | there have been minor reductions in breathing |
| type 1 or type 2 diabetes. It is predicted that Pfizer | | | | efficiency in some patients and some patients |
| would launch Exubera in late 2006. Exubera is | | | | reported coughing.This inhaler is also effective during |
| produced by Sanofi-Aventis and Nektar Therapeutics, | | | | cold and upper respiratory infections but may not be |
| a California biotechnology firm (formerly Inhale | | | | that effective during pneumonia. Smokers will be |
| Therapeutic Systems, Inc.) in partnership with | | | | excluded from taking the drug because the cells in the |
| Pfizer.Other inhalable insulins still on human testing are | | | | lungs will be already damaged due to smoking and |
| by Indianapolis-based Lilly and Alkermes Inc. and | | | | their blood sugar could fall dangerously low with |
| another is by the Danish firm Novo Nordisk and | | | | Exubera because they absorb much more inhaled |
| Aradigm. The Lilly-Alkermes inhaler is small enough to | | | | insulin through their lungs than nonsmokers.Delaying |
| fit in the palm of the hand and is breath-activated, but | | | | insulin treatment can contribute to higher blood sugar |
| Exubera, a larger device and it relies on compressed | | | | levels, which can lead to complications such as nerve |
| air to operate. The Lilly-Alkermes inhaler is expected to | | | | damage, cardiovascular problems, vision loss, and |
| reach the market only by 2008.The delivery of the | | | | kidney disease.Anita Cherrys is a health enthusiast |
| Exubera is designed in such a way that this should be | | | | who offers informative tips on certified organic |
| small enough to get into the lungs and not large enough | | | | products. For more information on health visit can |
| to be breathed out. Exubera is a rapid-acting, fine | | | | reprint this article on your website as long as you do |
| dry-powder insulin. The blister packs are loaded into | | | | not modify any of the content, and include our |
| the inhaler device and a trigger is squeezed to | | | | resource box as listed above with all links intact and |
| disperse the insulin powder into the compartment | | | | hyperlinked properly. |