Correction Factor
A correction factor is used to calculate your correction dose, which is used to correct high blood glucose levels before a meal. The correction factor (CF) is added or subtracted to the prandial bolus insulin dose.
Your Diabetes Educator will give you your individualized CF.
Calculating A Correction Dose
Amir’s premeal target blood glucose is 130 mg/dL, but when he measures it before lunch, it is 230 mg/dL. If his CF is 50, that means that 1 additional unit of insulin will lower his blood glucose by approximately 50 mg/dL.
To calculate his correction dose, Amir will subtract his target from his current glucose level. Now he knows that he needs extra insulin to lower his level by 100 mg/dL.
By dividing the difference between his target and his current level by his CF, Amir can see that he needs to take 2 extra units of insulin to normalize his blood glucose level. These 2 units are now his correction dose for this meal.
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