What's your basal insulin IQ?

Patients and families routinely make changes to their or their kid's insulin therapy. This should be based upon an sound understanding of how basal insulin therapy works (whether delivered by injection(s) or an insulin pump).

Basal insulin is the foundation of type 1 diabetes management. Misconceptions may exist about what basal insulin is all about. Take the short quiz below and see what you know about basal insulin and its role in managing type 1 diabetes.

1. Basal insulin production in persons without diabetes…

a. Is continuously released through day to day

b. Is released in waves or pulses through the day

c. Results in very high insulin levels between 2-4 AM

2. Based on a 2012 study, under ideal circumstances, typical insulin pump users require what percent of their total daily insulin dose as basal insulin?

a. ~ 30%

b. ~ 50%

c. ~ 70%

3. Basal insulins taken by injection show “peak and trough” actions

a. True

b. False

4. Whenever a basal delivery rate is changed on an insulin pump, the full insulin 'effect' occurs around:

a. 15 minutes

b. 30 minutes

c. 1 hour

d. 2 hours

5. The purpose of basal insulin in the management of type 1 diabetes is to: