IR-1250
The new Animas IR-1250 insulin pump is an update of the popular IR-1200. New additions have been added to make the pump more convenient. Some of these new features include:
- near empty alarms set by the user
- create a food database on your pump using CalorieKing
- set multiple Insulin Sensitivity Factors
- set multiple BG targets and ranges
- ezFlip pump covers
- compose your own alert sounds
- ezManager Plus and IR Kit included with purchase
IR-1200
The Animas IR-1200 insulin pump ships in blue, silver, black, and customized covers. Animas has created a sophisticated insulin pump second only in size to the very small Dana Diabecare II.
The menu screen is bright and sharp with a large, high-res screen. All you need for your power source is one AA lithium battery that lasts 4 to 8 weeks or one AA alkaline that lasts about 3 weeks. It is watertight and resists static electric discharge. It has non-volatile memory, meaning you can take the battery out without losing basal rates or bolus history.
Menu choices are simple with all the carb, correction, and unused insulin bolus features found in the Deltec Cozmo® and the busier Paradigm pump. Using CarbSmart and ezFlex programming, you can enter multiple insulin-to-carb ratios for different times of day, see your calculation, edit on the same screen, and choose normal or combo delivery.
Pumping is made easier with the IR 1200. Basal and bolus adjustments are precise, bringing smiles to the parents of small pumpers, with basal and bolus increments of 0.025 units per hour. With four basal programs, you can easily switch to compensate for different events. With ezBG, you can automatically calculate a correction bolus based on your BG reading and personal settings. The meter interface of ezManager Plus™ lets you download your pump and multiple meters to see a comprehensive overview of your history for better diabetes management. The non-volatile memory of the pump itself allows you to store your previous 600 boluses, 120 daily totals, 30 alarms, 60 primes, 30 suspends, and 270 basal records. Click to try out a Virtual 1200 Pump. Give the java program time to download, then click the pump buttons on the screen to operate the pump.
This small pump packs 200 units in its reservoir compared to the larger Paradigm 512 which carries 176 units. 1200 also has a standard Luer-lock connection for infusion sets, rather than a proprietary connection of the Paradigm. The Luer™ lock connection allows a wide variety of infusion sets to be used, such as Unomedical’s Inset and Disetronic’s Rapid-D.
The only thing lacking in this pump is direct input from a blood glucose meter, although discussions were purportedly underway with Lifescan as of a few months ago. Medtronic’s Paradigm utilizes a radio wave connection to a BD meter, but some users have not been happy with the number of errors which this meter generates. Deltec has received FDA approval for its CoZmonitor™, a very small Therasense meter that snaps onto the back of the pump and reads BG results directly into the pump with no radio wave interference. Animas is also expected to utilize a direct IR port for BG data transfer.
One minor complaint with the 1200 is the positioning of the suspend feature, which has been placed into the number two position on the screen. Although helpful for interrupting bolus delivery when someone changes their mind about what they plan to eat, this little-used feature could be placed further down in the list of menu options. Despite rather minor complaints, the IR1200 appears to be a real head-turner in the pump world.
IR-1000
This insulin pump is Animas’ original pump. Thinner but wider than other pumps, it sports a strong DC motor which delivers basal increments every 3 minutes regardless of basal rate. Basal adjustments can be made in precise 0.05 u/hr steps which is ideal for children and adults who require less than 25 to 30 units of insulin a day. Boluses are selected on the screen in 0.1 unit increments, or by audio bolus in 0.5 or 1.0 unit steps.
This pump’s menu allows four distinct basal profiles to be programmed to match lifestyle variations such as day shifts, weekends, marathon runs, or menses. It sports a number of user-friendly features, including easy cartridge insertion, backlighting, units of insulin left in the cartridge, and a wide choice of light Swatch-like case coverings. The wearer can choose fashion covers in 15 different colors, as well as 18 different vinyl stickers pictured on the left.
The pump body is made of durable Glock-equivalent plastic, and the pump has been seen to be operational after being thrown about 40 feet across a concrete floor. Other safety features include rapid detection of occlusions at about one unit, a secure cartridge lock, and non-volatile memory that prevents basal loss. One small drawback is that the pump screen display is not as easily visualized in some lighting situations, although backlighting assists this. Boluses are easy to give through the screen menu or by pushing the audio bolus button on the side of the pump. Boluses can now be given with just a few button pushes.
When the pump alarms, a series of beeps occurs for two minutes before a louder alarm signal that a problem has occurred. The IR-1000 is distributed by Animas at (877) YES-PUMP through about pump representatives partnered with diabetes nurse educators throughout the U.S. Animas stresses education as an integral part of their sales program.
Animas is also developing a continuous blood glucose monitor. Their sensor is designed to be implanted for the detection of glucose using near-infrared waves with readings transmitted via radio telemetry to a wristwatch. The company has also developed a new Teflon infusion set, called ezSet, that is similar to the Tender and Silhouette but with several design enhancements. They also offer an excellent software program, called ezManager that works with any Palm device, and can be used with other pumps or without a pump at all to improve blood sugars. EzManager gives quick access to carb counts in about 8,000 foods and lets you set up your own carb and correction factors to quickly calculate carb boluses. Carb and correction boluses can be quickly determined with ezManager, which uses the control principles found in Pumping Insulin.
Animas, in conjunction with the Diabetes Trust Fund, have a program that provides insulin pumps to lower-income families who have a child with diabetes. Call Animas at 1-877-937-7867 for more information.