OmniPod UST400, User Manual

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Understanding PDM and Pod Function 12
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12 Understanding PDM and Pod Function
Basal Insulin Delivery
Even without eating, our bodies need a small, constant supply of insulin for
normal daily living, which is referred to as "basal" insulin. In people without
diabetes, the pancreas continuously delivers this basal insulin. For people using
the Omnipod® Insulin Management System, the Pod mimics a healthy pancreas
by delivering basal insulin at the rate that you program into the PDM.
Approximately 50% of a person’s total daily insulin dose typically comes from
basal insulin delivery; the remaining 50% typically comes from bolus doses.
This section describes the Omnipod® Insulin Management System's two modes
for delivering continuous basal insulin: Basal Programs and temp basals.
Basal Programs
A basal rate is the number of units of insulin delivered per hour.
A basal segment defines the time of day during which a given basal rate is
delivered.
A collection of basal segments covering a midnight-to-midnight period is called
a "Basal Program." In other words, a Basal Program describes the rate of insulin
delivery throughout an entire 24-hour period.
Insulin needs vary throughout the day. Therefore, most people set their basal
rates to deliver more or less insulin at certain times of day. For example, you could
deliver a lower rate of insulin during the night and a higher rate during the day.
This figure shows a Basal Program with three basal segments.
Midnight Midnight
6 am
6 pm
Noon
Basal segment 1
Basal segment 2
Basal segment 3
Basal Program
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
Basal R
at
e (U/hr)