Hyperglycemia
with Insulin Pump

Have you ever had high glucose levels that don't come down even after giving more insulin? It was probably due to an infusion site failure — where insulin does not flow through the infusion site cannula into the body well enough.

 

Causes of an infusion site failure include:

• A bent cannula or cannula that has come out from under the skin

• If cannula is not bent or out of skin, it could be that the location you are wearing the infusion site isn't absorbing insulin well enough anymore and needs to be changed to a new location.

 

Because insulin pumps do not use long-acting insulin, ketones can form quickly when infusion sites fail, increasing your risk of developing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA can make you sick and requires treatment in the hospital.

 

Symptoms of DKA include: frequent vomiting, stomach pain, confusion and rapid breathing

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