Pump Terms

Glossary letters

  1. 4 terms starting with A
  2. 6 terms starting with B
  3. 9 terms starting with C
  4. 6 terms starting with D
  5. 1 terms starting with E
  6. 2 terms starting with F
  7. 2 terms starting with G
  8. 4 terms starting with H
  9. 6 terms starting with I
  10. No terms starting with J
  11. No terms starting with K
  12. 2 terms starting with L
  13. 3 terms starting with M
  14. 2 terms starting with N
  15. 1 terms starting with O
  16. 6 terms starting with P
  17. No terms starting with Q
  18. 1 terms starting with R
  19. 6 terms starting with S
  20. 7 terms starting with T
  21. 1 terms starting with U
  22. No terms starting with V
  23. No terms starting with W
  24. No terms starting with X
  25. No terms starting with Y
  26. No terms starting with Z

Reference

  1. 01A to Z glossary

Explainers

  1. 02How an insulin pump works
  2. 03Pump or injections?
  3. 04Infusion sets and site rotation
  4. 05Carbohydrate counting
  5. 06Alarms and fail-safes
  6. 07Sick days
  7. 08Exercise
  8. 09School and nursery
  9. 10Travelling with a pump

Related reading

  1. 11Diabetes and the nervous system
  2. 12Official UK guidance

About

  1. 13About
  2. 14How we check facts
  3. 15Contact
  4. 16Privacy

Edition of 11 October 2026

The words around insulin pump therapy, set out plainly

69 terms and 9 explainers about continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion, written for people in the UK who are meeting the jargon for the first time. Each definition carries a numbered source from a public health body.

Open the A to ZHow a pump works

01

Find a term by its first letter

The number under each letter is how many terms start with it.

  1. 4 terms starting with A
  2. 6 terms starting with B
  3. 9 terms starting with C
  4. 6 terms starting with D
  5. 1 terms starting with E
  6. 2 terms starting with F
  7. 2 terms starting with G
  8. 4 terms starting with H
  9. 6 terms starting with I
  10. No terms starting with J
  11. No terms starting with K
  12. 2 terms starting with L
  13. 3 terms starting with M
  14. 2 terms starting with N
  15. 1 terms starting with O
  16. 6 terms starting with P
  17. No terms starting with Q
  18. 1 terms starting with R
  19. 6 terms starting with S
  20. 7 terms starting with T
  21. 1 terms starting with U
  22. No terms starting with V
  23. No terms starting with W
  24. No terms starting with X
  25. No terms starting with Y
  26. No terms starting with Z

02

Six terms, set large

Pulled from the glossary, with the definition as written there.

Basal rate

The basal rate is the programmed pace at which a pump releases small amounts of insulin all the time.

Full entry

Bolus

A bolus is an extra dose of rapid-acting insulin taken to cover food or drink, or to bring down a high glucose level.

Full entry

Cannula

A cannula is a very thin plastic or metal tube placed just under the skin, through which a pump delivers insulin.

Full entry

Occlusion

An occlusion is a blockage or kink in the path insulin takes from a pump to the body, such as the tubing or cannula, which slows or stops delivery.

Full entry

Hybrid closed loop

A hybrid closed loop links an insulin pump with a CGM so that a programme adjusts insulin automatically, while the user still enters carbohydrate before meals.

Full entry

03

9 explainers

Each is 700 to 1,100 words, sourced, and linked back to the glossary.

  1. 01pumpHow an insulin pump worksThe parts of a pump, how background and mealtime insulin are delivered, and where sensors and closed loops fit.
  2. 02CSIIPump or injections?What NICE says about when a pump is considered instead of multiple daily injections.
  3. 03cannulaInfusion sets and site rotationCannulas, tubing, where sets go and why sites are rotated.
  4. 04bolusCarbohydrate countingHow carbohydrate counting, ratios and bolus calculators fit together.
  5. 05occlusionAlarms and fail-safesWhat alarms mean, why a blockage matters quickly and what back-up plans are for.
  6. 06ketonesSick daysSick day rules, ketones and why a pump user is told to act early.
  7. 07temp basalExerciseWhy activity changes glucose and how temporary basal rates and suspending are used.
  8. 08planSchool and nurseryWhat UK guidance expects of schools and early years settings for a child on a pump.
  9. 09sparesTravelling with a pumpCarrying supplies, airport security, time zones and insurance.

04

Two shapes of pump, drawn plainly

Schematics, not to scale. The explainer on how a pump works names every part.

Schematic of a tubed insulin pump system A pump body with a cartridge connects by a thin tube to an infusion set stuck to the skin. A small flexible tube, the cannula, passes through the skin into the fatty layer beneath. 1 2 3 4 5
Schematic of a tubed pump system, not to scale.
  1. Pump body: the unit with the screen and controls
  2. Cartridge: the reservoir that holds the insulin
  3. Tubing: carries insulin from the pump to the set
  4. Infusion set: the adhesive pad stuck to the skin
  5. Cannula: the soft tube that sits just under the skin
Schematic of a patch pump A small pod sits directly on the skin with no tube. A short cannula goes through the skin into the fatty layer. 1 2
Schematic of a patch pump, not to scale.
  1. Patch pump: holds the insulin and sticks to the skin, with no tubing
  2. Cannula: sits just under the skin

05

Related reading and method