What are exercise considerations for long-acting insulin?

What are exercise considerations for long-acting insulin?

• A. Hypoglycaemia occurs immediately with any activity.
• B. Risk of delayed hypoglycaemia; monitor glucose during prolonged or intense activity.
• C. No impact of exercise on glucose with long-acting.
• D. Exercise increases insulin requirements only for short-acting types.

Answer: (B)

When thinking about exercise and long-acting insulin, the key idea is that exercise can create a risk of delayed hypoglycemia. Long-acting insulin provides a steady background level, while exercise makes muscles take up more glucose and increases overall insulin sensitivity. This heightened efficiency of insulin can persist after you finish exercising, so blood glucose can drop several hours later, or even overnight, if you’re not careful. That’s why the best choice emphasizes a risk of delayed hypoglycemia and the need to monitor glucose during prolonged or intense activity. The other ideas don’t fit because hypoglycemia isn’t guaranteed to occur immediately with any activity, and long-acting insulin can still impact glucose during and after exercise. Also, exercise can influence glucose control with long-acting insulin, not only short-acting types, so saying it only affects short-acting insulin isn’t accurate.

When thinking about exercise and long-acting insulin, the key idea is that exercise can create a risk of delayed hypoglycemia. Long-acting insulin provides a steady background level, while exercise makes muscles take up more glucose and increases overall insulin sensitivity. This heightened efficiency of insulin can persist after you finish exercising, so blood glucose can drop several hours later, or even overnight, if you’re not careful. That’s why the best choice emphasizes a risk of delayed hypoglycemia and the need to monitor glucose during prolonged or intense activity.

The other ideas don’t fit because hypoglycemia isn’t guaranteed to occur immediately with any activity, and long-acting insulin can still impact glucose during and after exercise. Also, exercise can influence glucose control with long-acting insulin, not only short-acting types, so saying it only affects short-acting insulin isn’t accurate.