Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) Practice Exam

If a patient's basal rate was mistakenly calculated, what could be a potential impact on their insulin regimen?

1. Increased risk of hypoglycemia

2. Improved blood glucose control

3. Enhanced recovery rate

4. Decreased need for monitoring

The correct answer is: Increased risk of hypoglycemia

If a patient's basal rate is mistakenly calculated, it can lead to an increased risk of hypoglycemia. The basal rate is the background insulin that helps to control blood glucose levels in the absence of food intake. If this rate is set too high due to an incorrect calculation, the patient may receive more insulin than necessary, especially during fasting periods or overnight. This excess insulin can cause blood glucose levels to drop too low, leading to hypoglycemia, which can have significant health implications, including symptoms like dizziness, confusion, and in severe cases, loss of consciousness or seizures. On the other hand, improved blood glucose control would imply that the basal rate is optimized, which is not the case with an error in calculation. Similarly, an enhanced recovery rate and a decreased need for monitoring do not logically follow from an incorrect basal rate setting; in fact, patients would likely need more frequent monitoring to manage the potential complications associated with hypoglycemia.