The Accu-Chek Combo insulin pump is called the Combo System because the system combines an insulin pump with a smart handset that is both a blood test meter and a bolus calculator.
Key features
- Separate handset for discreet operation of the pump
- Colour screen handset doubles as blood glucose meter
- Large 315 unit reservoir
- Allows 24 basal rates at hourly intervals
Disadvantages
One disadvantage of the Accu-Chek Combo is that the remote handset is chunky. Roche’s latest insulin pump, the Accu-Chek Insight addresses this problem with a more sleek handset that also features a touchscreen.
The Accu-Chek Combo pump is not directly integrated with a CGM system
Bluetooth integration
You do not need to handle or touch the pump as it connects via Bluetooth technology to the handset.
For many people, the idea of wearing a pump is a barrier, but the less obvious it is when wor, the easier it is to come to terms with.
The Accu-Chek Combo insulin pump, having a separate handset, offers extra discretion so you can operate the pump without no-one needing to know you are wearing one.
Blood tests are stored in the Accu-Chek Combo Handset
The handset stores results so they can be accessed and viewed in a similar way to the type of online software used with other meters.
This information is essentially an on-board ‘paperless’ diary , listing both your blood test results as well as your insulin doses. Blood test strips and lancing device are separate. The advantage of this is that it saves you manually entering your test result before using the bolus calculator.
Includes a built-in bolus calculator
Insulin pumps operate by delivering a basal rate 24-hours a day, which provides your body with the insulin it needs to keep going. You then need to give yourself a separate bolus when you have a meal, or if your blood glucose levels are high and you need to bring them down.
By getting to know your own needs, you will establish the best basal/bolus regime for yourself (it might need occasional adjustments).
The Combo meter includes a bolus calculator (known in other pumps as a bolus wizard). If you pop in the amount of carbohydrates you are about to eat, plus do a blood test, it will suggest how much insulin should be in your bolus.
It takes the maths out of each mealtime once you’ve established your carb-to-insulin ratios for various times of the day.
Colour screen
A simple but attractive part of the meter is the colour screen, making even a quick glance at your overall ranges as easy as looking at a colour pie chart showing the proportion of times your readings were within range.
And, if colour helps you understand your results, you might want also to change the basic black of the pump with a colourful “skin” to make it fit better (or even stand out more) with your lifestyle (you can choose from 6 colours).
Attached by a infusion set
The actual pump is attached to your body via an infusion set and tubing. It can be set to deliver basal doses low enough for even for small children and has an easy-to-use menu to set up a system of insulin that works best for you.
The handset shares its information on blood test results and carbs and insulin bolus calculations with the pump so that you need do nothing more than tell the meter to tell the pump to deliver the insulin
Technical Specifications
- Basal rate increments: 0.05 to 50 units per hour
- Basal profiles: Up to 5
- Basal rates per profile: 1 to 24
- Bolus doses: 0.1 to 50 units
- Water protection: IPX 8 – Protected against effects of temporary immersion in water for 60 minutes at up to 2.5m depth
Dimensions
- Pump: 83 x 56 x 21 mm
- Handset: 94 x 55 x 25 mm
Weight
- Pump: 80g (when empty) 110g (with batteries, full cartridge and infusion set)
- Handset: 103g (including batteries)
Batteries
- Pump: One 1.5-volt AA Alkaline (LR6) or lithium (FR6) battery or One 1.2-volt rechargeable NiMH AA (HR6) battery
- Handset: 3 AAA alkaline batteries
Operating conditions
- Temperature: 5°C to 40°C (41°F to 104°F)
- Humidity: 20% to 90%
- Air pressure: 70 to 106 kPA (700 to 1060 mbar) (Up to 3,000 meters [10,000 feet] above sea level)
- Blood glucose test strips: Accu-Chek Aviva test strips
Infusion sets:
- Accu-Chek FlexLink
- Accu-Chek Rapid-D Link
- Accu-Chek RapidLink
- Accu-Chek TenderLink
Roche Insulin Pump Careline:
- UK: 0800 731 22 91
- Ireland: 1 800 882 351
