{
  "slug": "insulin-correction-dose",
  "title": "Insulin Correction Dose Calculator",
  "heading": "Insulin Correction Dose Calculator",
  "category": "fitness-health",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/insulin-correction-dose",
  "summary": "Extra rapid-acting insulin needed to bring a high glucose to target.",
  "description": "A correction dose (also called a sliding-scale or supplemental dose) is the extra rapid-acting insulin given to bring an elevated blood glucose down to a target range, separate from any basal insulin or meal-time carbohydrate coverage. It uses the patient's correction factor (also called insulin sensitivity factor), the estimated glucose drop per unit of rapid-acting insulin, commonly derived from the \"1800 rule\" (1800 ÷ total daily insulin dose) for rapid-acting analogs. A correction dose should generally not be given within 3-4 hours of the last rapid-acting dose (\"insulin stacking\") because prior insulin may still be active and lowering glucose, risking hypoglycemia if a full correction is stacked on top. This calculator computes only the correction component — total mealtime dosing also needs a separate carbohydrate ratio calculation, and any insulin regimen should be individualized and adjusted based on glucose logs and clinical response, not applied rigidly from a single formula. This tool is for education and workflow support only — not medical advice. Always verify results with a clinician and use clinical judgment alongside your institution's protocols.",
  "formula": "Correction dose (units) = (current glucose − target glucose) ÷ correction factor (mg/dL per unit).",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=insulin-correction-dose",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "current",
      "label": "Current blood glucose",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 260,
      "unit": "mg/dL",
      "min": 40,
      "max": 700
    },
    {
      "id": "target",
      "label": "Target blood glucose",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 130,
      "unit": "mg/dL",
      "min": 70,
      "max": 200
    },
    {
      "id": "correctionFactor",
      "label": "Correction factor (mg/dL drop per unit)",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 50,
      "unit": "mg/dL/unit",
      "min": 5,
      "max": 200
    },
    {
      "id": "hoursSinceLastDose",
      "label": "Hours since last rapid-acting insulin dose",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 5,
      "unit": "hr",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 24
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "dose",
      "label": "Correction dose",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "stackingRisk",
      "label": "Insulin stacking risk",
      "format": "raw",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "recommendation",
      "label": "Recommendation",
      "format": "raw",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Current blood glucose: 260 mg/dL",
      "Target blood glucose: 130 mg/dL",
      "Correction factor (mg/dL drop per unit): 50 mg/dL/unit",
      "Hours since last rapid-acting insulin dose: 5 hr"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Correction dose: 2.6",
      "Insulin stacking risk: No",
      "Recommendation: Give approximately 2.6 units"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter current blood glucose (mg/dL).",
      "Enter target blood glucose (mg/dL).",
      "Enter correction factor (mg/dl drop per unit) (mg/dL/unit).",
      "Enter hours since last rapid-acting insulin dose (hr).",
      "Read your correction dose on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "current": 156,
        "target": 78,
        "correctionFactor": 30,
        "hoursSinceLastDose": 3
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "current": 260,
        "target": 130,
        "correctionFactor": 50,
        "hoursSinceLastDose": 5
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "current": 416,
        "target": 200,
        "correctionFactor": 80,
        "hoursSinceLastDose": 8
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Population formulas describe averages; individual bodies vary, especially at the extremes of height, age, or muscle mass.",
    "Results do not account for medical conditions, medication, or pregnancy.",
    "Use this as a directional reference, not a diagnosis — talk to a clinician before acting on it."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "How is the correction factor determined?",
      "a": "It's commonly estimated with the '1800 rule' for rapid-acting analog insulin: 1800 ÷ total daily dose of insulin (units) gives the expected mg/dL drop per unit. Many clinicians round or adjust this based on actual patient response, since the rule is a starting estimate, not a guarantee."
    },
    {
      "q": "What is insulin stacking and why does it matter?",
      "a": "Stacking happens when a correction dose is given before the previous rapid-acting dose has finished working, effectively doubling up the glucose-lowering effect and raising hypoglycemia risk. Rapid-acting insulin analogs typically remain active for 3-5 hours, so most protocols recommend waiting at least that long between correction doses unless specifically directed otherwise."
    },
    {
      "q": "Does this replace mealtime insulin dosing?",
      "a": "No. This calculates only the correction component for an elevated glucose. If the patient is also eating, a separate carbohydrate-to-insulin ratio calculation is needed for the meal, and the two components (correction + meal coverage) are typically added together into one injection."
    },
    {
      "q": "Is a single correction factor accurate all day?",
      "a": "Not always — many patients have different insulin sensitivity in the morning versus evening due to the dawn phenomenon and daily activity patterns. Insulin pump users and some multiple-daily-injection regimens use time-of-day-specific correction factors rather than one fixed number."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/total-daily-insulin-dose",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/opioid-morphine-equivalent",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/osmolar-gap"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Insulin Correction Dose Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/insulin-correction-dose)"
}