Share of insulin pump users among insulin dependent diabetes patients 2000-2010

This statistic depicts the percentage of insulin dependent diabetes patients in the United States that used an insulin pump from 2000 to 2010. In 2003, four percent of these patients used an insulin pump. Although, insulin pump users may have a higher upfront cost than self-injection, however, people who use insulin pumps tend to require emergency rooms less often and avoided long-term side effects such as kidney failure.

Insulin dependent diabetes patients

The United States spent about 239 billion U.S. dollars in 2013 for the treatment of diabetes. The number of deaths due to diabetes mellitus in the country has also seen a slight decrease from 25 per 100,000 people in 2000 to 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2010. However, the number of diagnosed cases has increased. In 2000, 12 million individuals in the U.S. were diagnosed and the number had risen to 20.9 million diagnosed individuals by 2011.

There has been an increase of diabetes patients that use insulin pumps in the United States. In 2000, approximately 2.7 percent of insulin-dependent patients in the U.S. used insulin pumps, in 2010, insulin pump share increased to 7.1 percent. Insulin pump users may be more cost-effective than those who do not use a pump. In 2010, U.S. patients who used an insulin pump had an economic impact of 24,900 U.S. dollars per person, compared to 30,400 U.S. dollars per patient who did not use an insulin pump. Insulin pumps can be beneficial as they eliminate the need for individual insulin injections, provide more accurate insulin deliveries, can prevent large fluctuations in blood glucose levels, and allow for more flexibility in diet, among other benefits. However, insulin pumps can cause skin infection at the catheter site, create a risk of diabetic ketoacidosis due to malfunction or absorption issues, and can be expensive.