Glucose Simulator

This app

This app contains a chart that simulates blood glucose levels in insulin-dependent diabetics under certain conditions. It is intended as an information and educational instrument and not as an insulin dose calculator. Both prescription and dosing of insulin are the domain of registered health professionals.

In this model, we assume that the basal need for insulin is the same from one day to the next and we need two days of data, or four days in the case of ultra-long duration insulin.

It is also assumed that digestion of Carbohydrates takes the same time as fast insulin duration, and digestion of protein takes about the same time as regular insulin’s effect.

The action of one international unit of insulin is assumed to be the same by class of insulin: fast, regular and intermediate-acting, so no difference of effect or timing of different brands of insulin within these categories was taken into consideration. The same concept applies to the fractions of mixed insulin preparations, but nor in the case of long and ultra-long acting insulin, as the profiles of each insulin in that class are unique.

Records and their representation in the chart

A record can be a blood glucose measurement, an insulin dose, a record of food ingestion, or any combination of the three, recorded at a given time.

A record may not include the use of two different insulin types that belong to the same class, If that is the case, a new record should be created including the same hour, date and blood glucose measurement, as well as the insulin dose relative to the second insulin of the same class.

The chart shows:

Actual, interpolated or projected blood glucose level (red line).

The quantity of insulin in iu per hour available for each class of insulin.

A grey semi-circle showing the record’s precise location in time.

The grey semi-circle turns blue when the record is in “edit” mode.

48 hours of historic data (Actual).

24 hours of forecast data (Simulated).

The insertion of a new record is always at present time (the last historic data record)

Limitations of this simulation

This simulation does not take the following factors into consideration:

1. Changes in daily routine, including meal and rest timing.

2. Infections and sickness in general.

3. Exercise

4. Change in prescribed drugs administration

5. Weather, temperature and humidity.

The factors above are known to have an important role in basal insulin needs. However, these factors' consideration is beyond the objectives of this simplified model.

The model assumes that the day before”s basal insulin needs hourly behaviour will reproduce itself during the following 24 hours. Therefore, it is very important to be accurate about the information entered for the past 24 hours (or up to 96 hours) including blood glucose measurements, food taken, insulin dosing and timing of all of that.

The results of this simulation are to be considered in a qualitative rather than quantitative fashion, as the model´s limitations are important. They are only for information and discussion purposes, and not to be used as a basis for insulin prescription or dosing. A qualified health services provider should be consulted in relation to insulin prescription and dosing.