Re: Understanding Novolog
You could use the "1800 rule" as a guide to give you a reference point. Of course, this would just be for your peace of mind or a rationale if you felt you needed to verify the order with the provider who wrote the order.
http://www.diabetesnet.com/diabetes_...orr_factor.php
1800/TDD (total daily dose) = how many points one unit of Humalog/Novolog can be expected to drop the blood glucose.
The accuracy of this rule varies by individual. It works very well in most cases, especially if the amount of long acting insulin (Lantus, Levemir) or intermediate acting insulin (NPH) taken daily is approximately 50% of the total daily insulin dose.
To figure TDD, add the long or intermediate acting dose to all the rapid or short acting doses taken through the day. This number will vary if the patient uses an insulin to carb ratio to vary the dose with each meal, but a "most common dose" estimate works just fine.
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