Insulin syringe
Drug administration devices having dose setting mechanisms are known in a number of different types, e.g. syringes, inhalators, atomisers, etc. The aim of these drug administration devices is to make the user capable of setting an individual dose of drug to be administered. Syringes are used by medical personnel to withdraw blood from patients, inject intravenous medications into patients, inject intramuscular medications into patients, prepare irrigation solutions, prepare dialysis fluids, prepare intravenous pushes, prepare bolus fluids, prepare intravenous fluids for parenteral injection, and prepare oral dose medications. A syringe is generally composed of an outer tube provided on the tip end side thereof with a mouth portion reduced in diameter, a gasket inserted in the outer tube via a base end opening of the outer tube, and a pusher (plunger rod) connected to the gasket. The syringe may be used for routine delivery of drugs, such as insulin for the treatment of diabetes, and could be of use in mass immunisation programs, or for the delivery of slow-release drugs such as pain killers and contraceptives. The syringe may also be used for the delivery of genetic material into living skin cells, with the long term aim of providing genetic therapy for the stable treatment of diseases such as haemophilia or skin melanoma. The syringe could also be used to deliver genetic material to skin, muscle, blood, lymph and with minor surgery, to organ surfaces. Diabetes is defined as a medical condition characterized by fasting plasma glucose levels greater than or equal to 126 mg/dl of blood plasma. Diabetics must monitor their blood glucose levels on a regular basis. To maintain their blood glucose within normal bounds, diabetics must combine careful attention to diet, regular exercise, and frequent injections of insulin. If their blood glucose is outside the normal levels, diabetics may experience disabling complications.