Adjusting Insulin (1500 Rule)

What is the 1500 Rule?

The 1500 rule is used to help you know how many points your blood glucose will drop with 1 unit of short-acting insulin. You will add this amount of insulin to your usual dose, adjusting for high blood glucose readings before meals. You can also use this for adjustment of high blood glucose during illness.

The 1500 Rule Formula:

1. Add up ALL the insulin you take in 1 day, short + long-acting.

     This is called your Total Daily Dose (TDD).

     1500 ¸ TDD = *

2. Divide 1500 by your TDD. The Result is the Number of blood glucose points covered by adding 1 unit short-acting insulin to your usual dose.

3. Make sure you keep records of your insulin adjustments so you can see if it works for you.

How can I adjust my insulin using carb counting?

You have just found out that 1 unit short-acting insulin will lower your blood glucose  * points.

To find how many carbs that 1 unit short-acting insulin will cover:

Take  *  points X .33 which will equal carbs covered by 1 unit.

• For most people, a starting dose would be 1 unit of short-acting insulin for every 10 - 15 grams of carbohydrate to be eaten.

• Check your blood glucose 1 - 2 hours after eating. If it is >10 mmol/L there was too much carb for the insulin taken. Do not be discouraged. Try again at your next meal.

• The long-acting insulin you take would stay the same.

• Keeping accurate records will make it easier to learn your response to insulin and foods.

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