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Types of Diabetic Syringes

Many types of syringes are used by diabetics to inject insulin. They differ in the amount of insulin held and in the size of the needle. The type of insulin used and the dosage requirements can determine what type of syringes are used.

  1. History

    • Insulin was discovered in 1923 and the first syringes used to inject it were glass. These syringes were invented in the mid-1800s and had needles that were hollow and were able to be resharpened for continuous use. When they became too dull, they were replaced, but the glass syringe was reused indefinitely. The disposable syringe was developed in the 1950s to dispense the polio vaccine. These syringes, manufactured by Becton, Dickinson and Co., were also used by diabetics for insulin injections.

    Significance

    • Without injections of insulin to counteract the breakdown of food in a diabetic, the blood sugar levels would hit dangerous and even fatal levels. The invention and use of the syringe has saved millions of lives and has changed the way the disease is handled. Before the invention of insulin and the syringe, many diabetics led short lives and encountered many health problems.

    Types

    • Two main types of insulin syringes are available for diabetics today. The most common is the U100. It is used to inject U100 insulin, which is 100 units of insulin per milliliter. That is the concentration of insulin in liquid form. The other, less common type is U500, which is used to inject insulin that contains 500 units per milliliter. It is highly concentrated and it is imperative to use the correct type of syringe for your insulin type as mixing them up can be fatal.

    Sizes

    • Make a careful choice in the size of the syringe you use. The main types are 3/10 cc, 1/2 cc and 1 cc. They can hold 30, 50 and 100 units of insulin, respectively. They also have different lengths and gauges regarding the needle size for each variation. Most needles are either 1/2 inch or 5/16 of an inch in length and can be anywhere from a 28 gauge, which is about .014 of an inch in diameter to a 31 gauge which is about .012 of an inch in diameter.

    Considerations

    • Depending on the amount of insulin you inject daily, you can choose any size you wish. If you are very skinny, you may want to consider a shorter needle; insulin works best when injected into your fat layer. Also, if you take two types of insulin, you may want to get a larger syringe and combine the insulin into one single shot rather than two.

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