Flying with an insulin pump can cause blood sugar levels to rise or drop Altitude affects the pump’s ability to steadily administer insulin However, the fluctuations during ascent and descent aren’t expected to cause significant medical problems MONDAY, Sept. 9, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Diabetics who fly with an insulin pump could find themselves with lower-than-normal blood sugar levels, a new study says. Altitude appears to affect the ability of insulin pumps to deliver a steady supply of the hormone, researchers reported Sunday at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual meeting in Madrid.
“Individuals who use insulin pumps should be aware of the potential impact of changes in the cabin air pressure on insulin delivery,” said lead researcher Dr. Ka Siu Fan , with the University of Surrey in the U.K.
For the study, researchers tested 26 insulin pumps in a hypobaric chamber programmed to mimic the atmospheric changes during a normal commercial airline flight. The chamber was depressurized during a 20-minute ascent, maintained the air pressure of an 8,000-foot altitude flight for a half-hour, then re- pressurized during a 20-minute descent to the ground. Researchers found that pumps over-delivered insulin during the ascent, but not enough to cause hypoglycemia.
At the same time, the pumps under-delivered insulin during descent, which could cause blood sugar levels to spike but not enough to cause health problems. “The drop in cabin pressure during a.