Over the past year, more than 100,000 Australians have developed diabetes – that’s 275 people per day or one person every five minutes1,2.

Even more alarming however, is the fact that the number of people with diabetes is expected to increase by more than 40% by the year 20353.

As the number of Australians affected by diabetes rises, so does the significance of the pharmacist’s role in the healthcare team that supports people living with this chronic condition.

Michelle Robins, Nurse Practitioner, Credentialled Diabetes Educator, Northern Health in Victoria, believes that pharmacists are in a unique position to be able to provide ongoing and quality advice to customers with insulin-treated diabetes. Ms. Robins says one area of diabetes management that is commonly overlooked or misunderstood by both healthcare professionals and people with diabetes, is injection technique and appropriate needle hygiene.

“Being more accessible than a GP, there is a tremendous opportunity for pharmacists to develop long-term relationships with customers with insulin requiring diabetes. Pharmacists can do this by providing advice around correct injection technique, appropriate needle use, and making sure they are up-to-date with diabetes care knowledge,” said Ms. Robins.

“Over recent years, more and more Diabetes Educators have been actively promoting the use of shorter needles. This has been due to a variety of reasons – all equally important. Needles longer in length such as 8mm (even 12mm needles are still available on the market) are associated with a much greater risk of delivering a diabetes medicine into muscle rather than the intended subcutaneous tissue4. Avoiding injection into the muscle is not only important for consistent absorption of insulin, it also contributes to better management of blood glucose levels and helps to avoid bruising, bleeding and increased pain5. Additionally, the length of the needle can be particularly important in terms of the degree of emotional distress around injecting.”

Pharmacists are well positioned to identify problems pertaining to injection technique and advocate for additional review by a diabetes Health Care Professional to undertake a detailed assessment.

“Being the primary point of purchase for pen needles and syringes, pharmacists and their retail team can review injection technique and safe sharps disposal. Many people with diabetes are simply unaware that shorter needles exist and may be more comfortable for them. This might not sound important, however if a person is progressing from one injection a day to four, injection comfort can make an enormous difference to regimen acceptance,” Ms. Robins continued.

“The choice of the correct needle length is crucial to a positive injection experience. For example, BD manufactures Ultra-Fine™ 4mm Pen Needles with EasyFlow™ Technology. This needle supports a more comfortable injection experience for people with diabetes, as it has a flatter and thinner needle tip that eases into the skin with less force” 6,7*#.

The BD Ultra-Fine™ 4mm Pen Needle with EasyFlow™ Technology features an extra-wide inner diameter, which improves the flow rate of injectable diabetes medication, thereby making it easier and faster for people with diabetes to inject their medication7*.

The BD Ultra-Fine™ 4mm pen needle is suitable for most people with diabetes – including children and those who are overweight8,9 – and ensures medication is injected to the correct skin depth over 99.5 percent of the time, at all injection sites when used with the appropriate injection technique4.

“Proper injection technique is important and patients need education – either from their Credentialled Diabetes Educator or pharmacist – across all needle sizes, including the BD Ultra-Fine™ 4mm Pen Needle. It’s also equally important to tell patients – or parents of patients – that a skin-fold is advised when injecting 2-6 year-old children,” Ms. Robins added.

Compared to longer pen needles, the BD Ultra-Fine™ 4mm pen needle has also been proven to significantly lower the risk of injecting diabetes medication into your muscle at all injection sites4.

References:
1. Diabetes Australia NDSS Statistical Snapshot, March 2016.
2. Diabetes Australia, Diabetes in Australia, http://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/diabetes-in-australia (accessed 13 July 2016).
3. Guariguata L, Whiting D R, Hambleton I et al. Diabetes Research and Clin Prac. 2014; 103: 137-149.
4. Gibney M, Arce C, Byron K, Hirsch L. Curr Med Res Opin. 2010; 26(6): 1519-1530.
5. ADEA Guiding Principles for Subcutaneous Injection Technique, 2015.
6. Hirsch L, Gibney M, Berube J, Manocchio J. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2012; 6(2): 328-335.
7. Aronson R. Diabetes Technol Ther. 2012; 14(8): 741-747.
8. Lo Presti D, Ingegnosi C, Strauss K. Pediatr Diabetes. 2012; 13(7): 525-533.
9. Bergenstal R, et al. Mayo Clin Proc. March 2015; 90(3):329-338.