Why is the basal-bolus approach preferred?

• A. This approach eliminates the need for meal-time insulin
• B. It provides only basal insulin for hepatic output
• C. It combines basal insulin for hepatic output with scheduled meal-time boluses and a correctional component
• D. It relies on glucose monitoring without insulin

Answer: (C)

The basal-bolus approach is preferred because it mirrors how the body normally regulates blood sugar: a steady basal insulin suppresses hepatic glucose production between meals and overnight, while scheduled meal-time boluses provide coverage for the carbohydrates you eat and a correction dose adjusts for higher-than-expected glucose. This structure offers precise, flexible control of glucose levels, can be tailored to different meal compositions and activity levels, and often yields tighter glycemic control with fewer post-meal spikes. Regular glucose monitoring guides these doses and helps trigger corrections when needed. The other options don’t fit because meal-time insulin is still needed to cover foods, basal insulin alone doesn’t address meals or corrections, and managing glucose solely by monitoring without insulin cannot control blood sugar.