Artificial Pancreas:

Artificial Pancreas:

The pancreas is a flat gland in the abdomen. It is located in the left side of the abdomen and is surrounded by the spleen, liver, and the small intestine. It plays a key role in the digestion of food and maintaining the blood sugar levels of a person. Being an exocrine (See: Exocrine) gland, it produces many enzymes like amylase to break down carbohydrates, and chymotrypsin and trypsin to break down proteins. Pancreas is also an endocrine gland and it produces important hormones like insulin and glucagon. Insulin lowers blood sugar, and glucagon raises blood sugar levels. In people with diabetes, especially people with type 1 diabetes, managing the condition means that the patients should constantly their monitor blood sugar levels, measure their insulin dosages, and be ready for any emergency low blood sugar levels. This can be bothersome. For this reason, an artificial pancreas is being developed to control the blood glucose levels. The artificial pancreas is actually a system of devices that functions as a substitute for the real pancreas. It consists of a continuous glucose monitoring system, an insulin pumping device, a blood glucose device, and a control algorithm. The artificial pancreas allows a person with type 1 diabetes to have basal control, bolus control, and complete insulin therapy.