Pump Failure

YOU SHOULD HAVE YOUR PUMP RATES (BASAL, CARBOHYDRATE RATIO AND CORRECTION/SENSITIVITY, ACTIVE INSULIN TIME AND GOALS) RECORDED AND KEPT IN A SAFE, CONVENIENT PLACE AT ALL TIMES. YOU WILL NEED THIS INFORMATION TO REPROGRAM A NEW PUMP.

The following guidelines pertain ONLY to those patients using Novolog, Humalog or Apidra in the pump.

IF YOUR PUMP FAILS, YOU WILL NEED A LONG ACTING INSULIN.  KEEP A VIAL OR PEN OF THIS INSULIN ON HAND AT ALL TIMES.

At the time of your pump failure, you will need to add up your total daily basal rates in your insulin pump and take that amount of long acting insulin. If your pump fails, for example, at 10 AM you will need to take an injection of long acting insulin at that time and again every day at 10 AM until you receive your replacement pump.

Humalog, Novolog or Apidra by injection will be required to cover your meals (carb ratio) and corrections/sensitivity. This will be the same insulin you are using in your pump.

CARBOHYDRATE (CARB) RATIO (BOLUS)

If your Carbohydrate ratio is 10.

This means that you need 1 unit of insulin for every 10 grams of carbs you are eating.

Example:

Eating 30 grams of carb.  Carb ratio is 10.

30 grams of carbs divided by 10 (carb ratio) = 3 units of insulin needed.

CORRECTION RATIO (BOLUS)

Your correction ratio is 30.

This means that 1 unit of insulin should decrease your glucose level by 30 mg/dl.

Example:

Glucose is 250 mg/dl.    Glucose goal is 100 mg/dl.   Correction ratio is 30.

(250 (current glucose) – 100 (glucose goal)) divided by 30 (correction ratio) = 5 units.

So, you need 4 units of insulin to get your glucose level to 100 mg/dl.

You can give JUST a carb bolus or JUST a correction or BOTH at the same time.

When you receive your new pump, restart it at the same hour as you began taking long acting insulin. Call the pump company for assistance reprogramming if needed. The number is on the back of your pump and is available 24-7.

Call this office for any assistance.