|
Sliding scale insulin can provide you with a perfect
diabetes treatment. The main aim of insulin therapy is to make normal a
patient's serum glucose levels with respect to future carbohydrate
intake. Using a sliding scale insulin to arrange a high glucose level
creates a greater risk of peaks and valleys in the patient's serum
glucose. So, it should not be the sole form of insulin therapy.
Although, you can use a sliding scale insulin dose to bring down a lofty
glucose level, it may not do so for several hours and it may augment the
risk of hypoglycemia. For further details, read What
All Can Type 2 Diabetics Eat.
Type I
diabetes and type II diabetes requirements are different from each
other. Type 1 patients require less insulin than those with diabetes
type 2. They need basal insulin to prevent DKA and extra insulin with
each meal. Again, this scale is not intended for bedtime insulin
coverage or for patients avoiding meals. You can create a sliding scale
for type 2 diabetics as well with NPH at bedtime and regular or lispro
insulin sliding scale before meals. But, you may need to decrease doses
in renal failure.
To make relevant and effective insulin dose
adjustments, focus on blood glucose trends and recognize patterns during
the first 2 days of the patient's hospitalization. Once you have
identified trends, you can adjust future insulin doses for tighter
glycemic control. The American Diabetes Association recommends that a
patient's blood glucose level be less than 180 mg/dl 2 hours after a
meal. The cornerstone of insulin therapy should be an intermediate or
long-acting insulin, accompanied by a rapid-acting insulin for meal
coverage. Use the sliding scale only as a supplement to correct acute
hyperglycemia.
|
