User guide

Hypoglycemia protocol: the rule of 15
If blood glucose is 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) or below:
• Eat 15 grams of fast acting carbohydrate
• Check BG again in 15 minutes; if not above 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L), repeat treatment
• Check BG again in 15 minutes; if still not above 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L), repeat treatment again.
• Contact your healthcare professional
These items have 15 grams of fast acting carbohydrates:
• Glucose tablets (three, 5-gram tablets or four, 4-gram tablets)
• 4 oz. of juice or soda (not diet)
•
6-7 Life Savers
®
(hard candies)
• 1 tablespoon of table sugar or honey
High blood glucose (hyperglycemia)
High blood glucose can occur while using the pump for the same reasons it can while using daily injections.
It can also occur for reasons that are unique to insulin pump therapy.
Too much food,
Not enough insulin,
Loss of insulin strength,
Disruption of insulin delivery from the pump.
The goal of treating hyperglycemia is to prevent Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) and delay or prevent diabetes
problems due to high blood glucose over a lengthy period of time.
If for any reason you are not getting the proper amount of insulin, your blood glucose rises quickly. This
can occur with insulin pump therapy from the disruption of insulin delivery. This happens from the infusion
set coming out, clogs, or leaks, or insulin not being absorbed right.
Since the pump only delivers fast-acting insulin, hyperglycemia can occur rapidly. Your healthcare
professional will give you data needed for you to determine your correction bolus. This correction dose is
based on your insulin sensitivity.
It is vital that you know these guidelines in the hyperglycemia protocol.
Introduction to pump therapy16