Understanding And Delivering Bolus Doses; What Is A Bolus - Insulet OmniPod User Manual

CHAPTER 4

Understanding and Delivering Bolus Doses

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What Is a Bolus?

A bolus is an extra dose of insulin, delivered when needed to:
• Match the carbohydrates (sugar content) in a meal or snack—
also known as a meal bolus
• Lower blood glucose when it gets too high—also known as a
correction bolus
This extra dose is in addition to the basal rate delivered through-
out the day and night (see Chapter 3, Understanding and
Adjusting Basal Rates).
The size of a bolus dose depends on many variables:
• Your current blood glucose level
• Your current insulin-to-carbohydrate ratio
• Your correction factor
• Your target blood glucose
• The amount of insulin on board (active insulin)
Up/Down Controller
• Your correction threshold (the blood glucose level below
which you do not want to take additional insulin)
• Your activity level
• The type and amount of food you eat
With the OmniPod System, it is easy to adapt to any situation.
With just a few button presses, you can adjust to unexpected or
changing insulin needs.
During setup, you entered bolus dose settings in the PDM (see
Chapter 2, Getting Started). You can adjust these settings as you
fine-tune your System or when your needs change (see Chapter
6, Using the Personal Diabetes Manager).
Check with your healthcare provider before you adjust
these settings.
User Info/Support Blood Glucose Records
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