Unfortunately, at the moment diabetes mellitus is a very dangerous disease, often leading to death. Every year the death statistics are increasing more and more. According to scientists, by 2030 diabetes will be a pathology, most often taking human lives.
Many people think diabetes is a death sentence. However, this is not the case. Of course, you will have to radically change your lifestyle and take medication every day. However, you can live with such a disease for a dozen years.
This article looks at how to calculate basal insulin, what it is and why you need it. Read the information provided carefully in order to be fully armed.
What is diabetes
This pathology is a hormonal disease that occurs due to excessively increased glucose levelsin blood. This phenomenon leads to malfunctions of the pancreas. It partially or completely stops producing the hormone insulin. The main purpose of this substance is to control sugar levels. If the body cannot cope with glucose on its own, it begins to use proteins and fats for its vital functions. And this leads to significant disruptions throughout the body.
Why use insulin for diabetics
As mentioned above, in the presence of this pathology, the pancreas either completely stops producing the hormone insulin, or produces it in insufficient quantities. However, it is necessary for the body in any case. Therefore, if your own hormone is not enough, it must come from outside. In this case, basal insulins serve as a background for normal human life. Therefore, each patient with diabetes should inject injections of this medication. The calculation of basal insulin is a very important ritual for the patient, since his daily condition and life expectancy will depend on it. It is very important to understand how to correctly calculate the level of this hormone in order to control the level of your life.
What is long-acting insulin?
This type of insulin is called not only basal, but also background or prolonged. Such a medication may have a medium or long-term effect, depending on the individual characteristics of each organism. Its main purpose is to compensate for insulin in the patient,a patient with diabetes mellitus. Since the pancreas does not function properly in a diabetic, he must receive insulin from outside. This is what medicines were invented for.
About basal insulins
On the modern pharmaceutical market, there are a large number of different drugs that are safer for the human body than it was before. They have a positive effect on the he alth of the patient, and at the same time lead to a minimum number of side effects. Just ten years ago, basal insulins were made from animal ingredients. Now they have a human or synthetic basis.
Types by exposure duration
Today, there are a large number of different types of insulin. Their selection depends on the basal level of insulin. For example, drugs that have an average duration of action will have an effect on the body for twelve to sixteen hours.
There are also medicines and long-term effects. One dosage of the drug is enough for twenty-four hours, so you need to administer the medication only once a day.
Scientists have also invented a long-acting injection. Its effect lasts for about forty-eight hours. However, the medication that is right for you should be prescribed by your doctor.
All optimal basal insulins have a smooth effect on the body, which cannot be said about drugs that have a short-term effect. These injections are usually taken beforefood to control sugar levels directly at the application of food. Long-acting drugs are usually synthetic in origin, with an additional ingredient, the protein protamine.
How to calculate
The properties of optimal basal insulin are to support fasting glucose levels, as well as directly during sleep. That is why it is very important for the body to take it for normal life.
And so, let's consider how to make calculations correctly:
- first you need to know your body weight;
- now multiply the result by the number 0.3 or 0.5 (the first coefficient is for type 2 diabetes, the second for type 1);
- if type 1 diabetes has been present for more than ten years, then the coefficient should be increased to 0.7;
- find thirty percent of the result, and what happened, break it into two applications (this will be the evening and morning administration of the medication).
However, there are drugs that can be administered once a day or once every two days. Talk to your doctor about this and find out if you can use long-acting medications.
Checking status
If basal insulin secretion is impaired, and you have calculated the dosage of drugs that mimic it, then it is very important to determine whether this amount is right for you. To do this, you need to make a special check, which lasts for three days. Skip breakfast on the first day, skip lunch on the second day, andthird - deprive yourself of dinner. If you do not feel any special jumps during the day, then the dosage was chosen correctly.
Where to inject
Patients with diabetes need to learn how to give themselves injections on their own, because this disease is lifelong and requires daily support. Be sure to pay attention to the fact that medicines containing insulin are intended specifically for subcutaneous administration. Never inject into muscles, and even more so into veins.
The first thing you need to do before injecting is to choose the most optimal place for it. For this purpose, the stomach, shoulders, buttocks and hips are best suited. Be sure to examine the condition of your skin. In no case do not insert a needle into moles, as well as into wen, and other skin imperfections. Step back from the navel at least five centimeters. Also inject at least a couple of centimeters away from the mole.
Doctors recommend injecting the medicine in a new place each time. So it will not provoke painful sensations. However, keep in mind that the most effective is the introduction of the drug in the stomach. In this case, the active substances can quickly spread throughout the body.
How to inject
Once you have decided on the location, it is very important to get the injection right. Before inserting the needle under the skin, carefully treat the site of your choice with ethyl alcohol. Now squeeze the skin, and quickly insert the needle into it. But at the same time, the medicine itself is administered very slowly. Countsilently to ten, then stick out the needle. Do it quickly too. If you see blood, then you have punctured a blood vessel. In this case, remove the needle and insert it into another area of the skin. The introduction of insulin should be painless. If you feel pain, try to push the needle a little deeper.
Short-acting insulins
Bolus and basal insulin play an important role for a person with diabetes. The purpose of bolus insulin is to reduce sugar during meals. It has a short term effect. Basal insulin is designed to control glucose levels during sleep, as well as before meals.
Determining the need for bolus insulin
Every diabetic patient should be able to independently determine the dosage of short-term insulins. To do this, you need to familiarize yourself with such a concept as a bread unit (XE). One such unit is equal to twelve grams of carbohydrates. For example, one XE contains a small slice of bread, or half a bun, or half a serving of vermicelli.
Each product has a certain amount of XE. You will have to calculate them, taking into account the volume of your serving, as well as the type of product. To do this, use a special table and scales. However, you will soon learn how to determine the required amount of food by eye, so the need for scales and a table will simply disappear.
Most popular drugs
Today there is justa huge number of drugs made on the basis of synthetic insulin, designed to provide a medium and long-term effect. Consider the most popular of them:
- Drugs such as Protafan and InsumanBasal are prescribed by doctors to patients who need drugs of medium duration. Their action is enough for about ten to eighteen hours, so the injection must be administered twice a day.
- "Humulin", "Biosulin" and "Levemir" are able to have a longer effect. One injection lasts approximately eighteen to twenty-four hours.
- But a drug like Tresiba has a prolonged action. Its effect lasts about forty-eight hours, so you can use the medication once every two days. That is why this drug is so popular among diabetic patients.
As you can see, basal insulins include a large number of different drugs with different periods of action. However, what insulin-containing medication is suitable in your case, you need to find out from a specialist. In no case do not engage in amateur activities, as an incorrectly selected drug or an error in dosing the medicine will lead to negative consequences, up to a state of coma.
Conclusions
Diabetes is a very dangerous disease that can significantly change your lifestyle. However, you should definitely not despair, because you can still be a happy person. The main thing is to change your lifestyle,and take the necessary medicines on time. Patients who remember to take basal insulin live much longer than those who forget to do so, doctors say.
The use of basal insulin is an integral part of the life of diabetics. There is no cure for this disease, but you can control your condition.
Take care of your he alth from a young age. Eat right, exercise, and skillfully alternate between work and rest. Take care of your he alth and you will notice how it takes care of you. Take care of yourself and stay he althy.
