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Glucose / BG
Glucose is sugar moving through the blood. BG means blood glucose.
Insulin
Insulin is like a key that helps glucose move into the body's cells for energy.
Rapid-acting insulin
This insulin starts working fairly quickly. It is used for food or a high BG correction.
Long-acting insulin
Background insulin that works for many hours, even between meals and while sleeping.
Carbohydrate (carb)
A part of food that the body turns into glucose. Carbs are counted in grams.
Total carbohydrate
The full carbohydrate number on a food label. It includes sugar, starch, and fiber.
Ketones
Chemicals the body can make when it does not have enough insulin.
Target BG
The BG number used in the correction formula.
Correction factor
This tells how much one unit of insulin is expected to lower BG.
Carb ratio
This tells how many carb grams are covered by one unit of insulin.
Time in range
The amount of time BG readings are inside the range chosen by the care team.
Fiber
A kind of carb found in plants.
Protein
A nutrient that helps build and repair the body.
Glucagon
Emergency medicine that can raise BG during a severe low.
CGM
A small sensor that estimates glucose through the day and night.
Insulin plan
Written steps made for one person with their diabetes care team.
Low BG / hypoglycemia
Low BG means there is not enough glucose in the blood.
High BG / hyperglycemia
High BG means there is more glucose in the blood than the insulin plan’s range.
DKA
DKA is a dangerous problem caused by too little insulin and too many ketones.
Bolus insulin
A bolus is a dose of rapid insulin for food, a high BG, or both.
Correction dose
A correction is rapid insulin used to help move a high BG toward its target.
Insulin on board (IOB)
IOB means rapid insulin from an earlier dose that may still be working.
Trend arrow
A trend arrow shows whether a CGM reading is moving up, down, or staying steady.
Finger-stick meter
A meter checks a small drop of blood from a finger to measure BG.
Serving size
Serving size is the amount of food that the nutrition numbers describe.
CGM sensor
A sensor is the small part worn on the body that estimates glucose.
Injection site
The injection site is the place on the body where insulin was given.
A1C
A1C is a lab test that estimates average glucose over about three months.
mg/dL
mg/dL is the unit used for BG numbers in this app.
Insulin unit
A unit is the standard way insulin amounts are measured.
Sick-day plan
A sick-day plan gives extra steps for illness, vomiting, high BG, or ketones.
Honeymoon phase
Soon after diagnosis, the body may still make a little insulin for a while.
Endocrinologist
An endocrinologist is a doctor who treats diabetes and other hormone conditions.
Basal (background) insulin
Basal means background insulin. It works between meals and while sleeping.
Basal-bolus plan
A basal-bolus plan uses background insulin plus rapid doses for food or corrections.
Pancreas
The pancreas is an organ inside the belly. One of its jobs is making insulin.
Beta cells
Beta cells are tiny cells in the pancreas that make insulin.
Autoimmune condition
Autoimmune means the body’s defense system attacks some of its own cells by mistake.
Insulin pump
An insulin pump is a small device that gives rapid insulin through the day and night.
Infusion set
An infusion set carries insulin from a pump into the body through a tiny tube under the skin.
Cannula
A cannula is the tiny soft tube that sits under the skin for some insulin pumps.
Insulin pod
A pod is a tubeless insulin pump worn on the body.
Multiple daily injections (MDI)
MDI means taking insulin with several shots each day.
Insulin syringe
An insulin syringe is a small needle and barrel used to measure and give insulin.
Insulin pen
An insulin pen is a device that holds insulin and dials a dose in units.
Lancet
A lancet is the tiny tool that makes a small finger poke for a blood drop.
Glucose test strip
A test strip goes into a meter and touches a small blood drop.
Compression low
A compression low is a sensor reading that may look low because pressure is pushing on the sensor.
CGM calibration
Calibration means giving a CGM a meter value when the device instructions allow or request it.
Pre-bolus
A pre-bolus is rapid insulin given before eating, using timing set by the diabetes team.
Carb counting
Carb counting means adding the carbohydrate grams in the amount of food that will be eaten.
Insulin stacking
Insulin stacking means giving rapid doses close enough together that they overlap.
Fat
Fat is a nutrient that gives energy and helps the body use some vitamins.
Fast-acting carbs
Fast-acting carbs are foods or drinks that can raise BG quickly during a low.
Recheck
A recheck means measuring BG again after the time written in the plan.
Urgent low alert
An urgent low alert warns that the CGM value is very low or expected to become very low.
Low unawareness
Low unawareness means a person may not feel the usual warning signs of low BG.
Blood ketone meter
A blood ketone meter uses a small blood drop to measure ketones.
Dehydration
Dehydration means the body does not have enough water.
CGM transmitter
A transmitter sends sensor information to a phone or receiver. In some CGMs it is built into the sensor.
CGM receiver
A receiver is a handheld screen that can show CGM readings and alerts.
Sensor warmup
Warmup is the waiting time after starting a new CGM sensor before it shows readings.
CGM alert
A CGM alert is a sound or message about a glucose level, trend, or device problem.
CGM signal loss
Signal loss means the phone or receiver is not getting new sensor values.
Caregiver handoff
A handoff is a clear update when one caregiver passes responsibility to another.
Work or study care plan
Written guidance helps you manage diabetes during work, study, or other daily activities.
Support contact
A support contact is someone you choose to help with your care or respond in an emergency.
Exercise and activity
Activity makes muscles use more energy and can change BG during or after movement.
Diabetes burnout
Diabetes burnout means feeling worn out, frustrated, or numb from nonstop diabetes work.
Medical ID
A medical ID is a bracelet, necklace, card, or phone setting that says a person has type 1 diabetes.
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