Insulin plays an important role in controlling blood sugar, especially in people with diabetes. However, there is no specific blood sugar index that just by exceeding it, patients are forced to inject insulin.
With type 1 diabetes, insulin is a mandatory treatment because the body is almost unable to produce insulin itself.
In people with type 2 diabetes, insulin can be indicated when blood sugar is very high, obvious symptoms of hyperglycemia appear, the body lacks insulin, or when diet, exercise, and antihyperglycemic drugs no longer effectively control the disease. In some special situations, insulin can also be used temporarily, for example when the patient has acute illness or during pregnancy as directed by a doctor.
Therefore, you should not base your decision on one blood glucose measurement to inject insulin.
Different types of insulin have different onset and effects, from fast-acting insulin around meals to long-acting insulin that helps maintain the base insulin level. Dosage needs to be personalized based on blood sugar, diet, physical activity and treatment regimen.
People using insulin need to be instructed on how to inject, store the drug, monitor blood sugar, and recognize signs of hypoglycemia such as tremors, sweating, hunger, dizziness, or confusion. People at risk of severe hypoglycemia may be instructed by a doctor to prepare glucagon.
It is not possible to determine the blood sugar index to inject insulin based only on one number. Patients need to be comprehensively assessed by doctors to choose the appropriate time, type of insulin and dosage, thereby controlling blood sugar safely and limiting complications.
