Hi, I'm a first year nursing student and I have an exam coming up in 2 weeks and majority of it is on Diabetes. I read the book about 100 times but I'm having trouble understanding this whole Insulin thing and was wondering if someone can help me out!!

So, the question is why do we give insulin to a patient... Is it if their blood glucose level is too low or too high?? I was told that We would give it if it's very high and out of the oridnary range for a diabetic but today one of my friends from school confused me and told me we would give it if it's too low... But wouldn't that kill a person?? And another question is why do we sometimes have to mix two different types of insulin together??

Insulin causes blood glucose levels to fall.

You don't give insulin when it's too low.

Mixing insulins changes the time concentration graphs. Look at some of the physician perscribing info for various insulins.

At the two extremes there is Novolog and Levimeir(spelling?) Novalog acts very quickly and peaks in a few hours and is typically given before meals.

Lantus or Levimeir may typically be given at night. It's effect lasts about 24 hours and thus provides a basal rate.

The curves are in the prescribing info.

See this for fun: Insulin therapy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insulin_therapy)

Insulin-dependent diabetics need insulin every day. A long-lasting insulin is taken (Levemir) morning and night. A short-acting insulin (Novolog) is taken with food. Two kinds of insulins are needed unless the person is on an insulin pump.

Mixing insulin in the same syringe cannot be done with Levemir and Novolog. However, some long-lasting insulins can be mixed with Novolog, thus the person needs only one shot at that particular time instead of two.

The pump would only be giving the body Novolog insulin in very small amounts all day and night except for when the person "dials" up more insulin at the time of a meal or when their blood sugar is too high.

Without insulin the glucose in the blood cannot get out of the blood. Insulin is the key to which the glucose gets into all the cells of the body so the body has energy.

Without insulin the person would die.

If you're having trouble wrapping your mind around it, get a book designed for children who are diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes/Type I. It is explained in very simple, understandable terms.

My child is diabetic.
Good luck