A basal rate is a small dose of insulin injected very frequently by an insulin pump.
Our bodies need to have some insulin circulating all the time to make sure our cells can always get fuel. A healthy pancreas will produce a very small amount of insulin frequently in order to cover this background insulin need, and a person injecting insulin will take a long-acting insulin to cover this need.
An insulin pump mimics the action of a healthy pancreas by injecting a small amount of insulin every three or six minutes (rates differ between pump manufacturers). This provides a more physiologic and flatter delivery of insulin.
This small, constant dose of insulin is called the basal rate.
A bolus is the insulin an insulin pumper takes around meal time.
When a person with a healthy pancreas eats, their pancreas produces extra insulin to transport the energy from the food into the cells.
People who use Muliple Daily Injections (MDI) to manage their diabetes will inject a short acting insulin around meal time to cover this 'meal insulin' need.
Insulin pumpers will also take insulin around meal time, and this dose is called a bolus
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