Automated Insulin Dose Calculation Using Stored Glucose Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Patients undergoing intensive insulin therapy face difficulties in accurately determining their carbohydrate-to-insulin ratio (CIR) and insulin sensitivity factor (ISF), which are crucial for calculating appropriate insulin doses, due to their individual and time-dependent nature, and current methods require extensive data collection and healthcare professional involvement, making them cumbersome and inconvenient.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that store and process blood glucose readings, food intake data, and insulin administration data to calculate CIR and ISF using iterative or sophisticated mathematical techniques, allowing for the determination of daily carbohydrate-to-insulin ratios and insulin sensitivity factors, enabling patients to accurately determine their insulin doses based on current blood glucose levels and carbohydrate intake.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If patients use traditional methods to determine CIR and ISF, then accuracy of insulin dose calculation is improved, but device complexity and healthcare professional involvement increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of CIR and ISF determinationVSAvoidcomplexity of data collection and calculation process

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables patients to automatically calculate their own CIR and ISF values using stored blood glucose, carbohydrate, and insulin data without requiring healthcare professional intervention. The processor automatically performs the mathematical calculations that were previously done manually by patients or providers, making the system self-sufficient and reducing external dependency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-stores blood glucose readings, carbohydrate intake data, and insulin administration data in memory before calculation is needed. By having this data readily available and organized in advance, the system eliminates the need for manual data collection at the time of calculation, reducing the complexity and time required for determining CIR and ISF.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If patients manually calculate insulin doses using CIR and ISF, then insulin dosing accuracy is improved, but time consumption and operational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinsulin dose calculation accuracyVSAvoidtime required for data collection and calculation

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual mechanical calculation methods with automated electronic processing. The processor automatically retrieves stored data, performs the mathematical calculations for CIR and ISF determination, and provides results without requiring patients to manually compute values, significantly reducing time and effort while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses stored historical data of blood glucose levels, carbohydrate intake, and insulin administration to continuously refine and update CIR and ISF calculations. This feedback mechanism allows the system to learn from past data and improve future calculations automatically, reducing the time needed for accurate dose determination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If extensive data collection is performed to determine CIR and ISF, then reliability of insulin dosing is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of insulin dose determinationVSAvoidconvenience of CIR and ISF calculation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system combines multiple data collection functions (blood glucose monitoring, carbohydrate tracking, insulin administration recording) into a single integrated platform. By merging these separate tasks into one system, patients can manage all aspects of their insulin therapy data in one place, improving ease of operation while maintaining the reliability that comes from comprehensive data collection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system serves multiple functions: storing blood glucose data, tracking carbohydrate intake, recording insulin administration, calculating CIR and ISF values, and providing dosing recommendations. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate tools and processes, making the overall system more convenient to use while ensuring reliable results through comprehensive data analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS8246540B2System for determining insulin dose using carbohydrate to insulin ratio and insulin sensitivity factor

Publication Date: 2012.08.21 INSULET CORP

AI summary

An apparatus and method are provided for determining a patient's carbohydrate to insulin ratio (CIR) and insulin sensitivity factor (ISF), and using these values, along with values for current blood glucose level and deviation from target blood glucose level, for determining insulin dose in view of carbohydrate intake during a particular time period. The apparatus and method employ algorithms that can be implemented in any of a personal computer, personal data assistant, hand held computing device, blood glucose monitor, infusion pump, medication delivery pen, meter, calculator, among other therapeutic, diagnostic or informational devices used for managing a patient's blood glucose levels.