For a client with type 1 diabetes who has elevated blood glucose, which intervention is appropriate?

• A. Administer an oral hypoglycemic
• B. Institute urine glucose monitoring
• C. Give supplemental doses of regular insulin
• D. Decrease the rate of intravenous infusion

Answer: (C)

When a client with type 1 diabetes has elevated blood glucose, the priority is to replace the missing insulin so glucose can enter cells and metabolic processes can normalize. Regular insulin is chosen because it acts quickly and can be given IV for rapid, controlled correction of hyperglycemia. Providing supplemental doses of regular insulin lowers blood glucose by promoting cellular uptake of glucose and suppressing ketone production, which helps prevent or treat diabetic ketoacidosis. In contrast, oral hypoglycemic agents rely on some endogenous insulin and are not effective when a person has little to no insulin production. Urine glucose monitoring doesn’t treat high glucose, and decreasing the rate of IV infusion would worsen hyperglycemia by reducing glucose clearance.