abstract |
The invention relates to an apparatus for the administration of medications. The apparatus includes a safety system which prevents a harmful overdose when the person using the apparatus is unable to take action. For this purpose, the safety system initiates a safety measure, (such as turning off the dosing unit, switching the dosing unit to a reduced administration rate (so called "emergency rate") and/or setting off an alarm) in the event that a checking procedure is not triggered by the patient within a predetermined time interval or after the administration of a specific quantity of medication. Starting times based on the time of day and generated by a master clock can be pre-pregrammed, for example, as a reminder to the patient to eat. In insulin therapy, the apparatus prevents a patient from becoming hypoglycemic as the result of a long lasting insulin overdose, for example, during sleep. |