Medtronic 2008 Annual Report Download - page 19

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At a Glance
What it is:
Diabetes is a lifelong disease in which the
body can’t control the level of sugar
(glucose) in the blood. Type I develops
when the body’s immune systems destroy
the cells that make insulin, the hormone
that converts glucose into energy. Type II
occurs when the body produces enough
insulin, but can’t use it correctly.
Symptoms:
Increased thirst, frequent urination, extreme
hunger, weight loss, fatigue, blurred vision.
Medtronic treatments:
Integrated diabetes management systems,
including insulin pumps, real-time
continuous glucose monitoring systems
and therapy management software.
Lin Wang
Changsha, China
Insulin pump to treat diabetes
Two years ago, Lin Wang’s dream to compete on the Chinese
national gymnastics team came to a crashing halt. During a
training session, she fainted and was rushed to the hospital.
Doctors discovered she had diabetes. For more than a year,
Lin injected herself daily with insulin. She had to limit her
foods and activities to avoid lowering her glucose levels. Then
recently, her doctor recommended a Medtronic insulin pump.
“Now with the pump, I can eat delicious foods again,” Lin
exclaimed. “I have orange juice and watermelon, and even
spicy beef.” What makes Lin the happiest is that she can
exercise again. “I’m doing modern dance because it’s not as
strenuous as gymnastics. But I’m learning how to control my
glucose better with the pump, and my gymnastics coach told
me to come back as soon as I have it fully under control.”
DIABETES
Moving Our Therapies to “Standard of Care”
We continue to move our innovative, aggressive insulin management systems toward the standard of care
in treating insulin-taking diabetes patients. To demonstrate our therapies’ efficacy, we’re conducting the
Star 3 clinical trial—the largest of its kind—to determine if patients using insulin pump therapy augmented
with continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) have significantly lower A1c (average blood glucose) levels
than patients using daily injections. Favorable clinical evidence from the trial would help generate greater
reimbursement for and adoption of our therapies.
Our current CGM and insulin pump therapies help patients manage diabetes while giving them greater
freedom to enjoy life. In an effort to give patients even more freedom, we’re exploring alternative insulin-
delivery systems that are more discrete and easier to use. We’re also exploring ways to integrate
our therapies into popular consumer platforms, and developing inpatient systems for hospitals and
surgical applications.
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