How to Determine a Correction Factor

Determining the correction factor of your insulin shots can make the difference between having the perfect amount of insulin in your system and fatally overdosing on insulin. Overdosing on insulin is possible even if a registered doctor gives you insulin. One overworked doctor gave a patient a fatal overdose of insulin after working more than 100 hours a week, according to the Mail Online website. Use the correction factor to help you manage and control your diabetes.

Instructions

• 1

  Choose the "Rule" that best relates to the type of diabetes that you have. For example, if you have Type 1 or 2 diabetes, you could use the 1800 rule. The "Rule" number equals the amount of basal insulin that makes up the total daily dosage. The 1600, 1800 or 2000 Rules are suggested while determining your correction factor, according to the Pumping Insulin textbook. Rule 2200 is for the most severe cases of diabetes.

• 2

  Look on your insulin bottle for your total daily dosage of insulin. The total daily dosage should be listed next to the instructions and the amount of times you need to take the insulin.

• 3

  Divide the total daily dosage of insulin by the rule that you have chosen to configure the correction factor. For example, if the rule equals 2000 and the dosage equals 50, the equation will be: "2000/50," or a 40 point drop per unit of Humalog.