Insulin

Insulin is available in rapid, intermediate, and long-acting forms.

Insulin types

Long Acting insulins are Levemir and Lantus. These insulins provide a basal dose of insulin with no peak and serve as our "background insulin."

Levemir

• Onset: about 1 hour after injection
• Peak: No peak
• Duration: 24 hours
• When to take it: At the same time everyday or twice daily as instructed by your physician.

Lantus

• Onset: 1-1 ½ hours after injection
• Peak: No peak
• Duration: 24+ hours
• When to take it: At the same time everyday or twice daily as instructed by your physician.

Intermediate acting insulins are known as Lente and NPH. Also considered long acting are insulin preparations that are mixed with predetermined proportion of NPH mixed with Regular insulin (50/50, 70/30, and 75/25). The action times are as follows:

NPH

• Onset: 1-4 hours after injection
• Peak: 4-10 hours after injection
• Duration: 14-18 hours with a reange being 14-24 hours of duration
• When to take it: As directed by your physician

70/30

• Onset: 30minutes to 1 hour
• Peak: First peak between 2-4 hours and a second smaller peak at about 10 hours.
• Duration: Lasting an average of 21 hours with a range between 14-24 hours
• When to take it: 20-30 minutes before food

75/25

• Onset: 5-15 minutes
• Peak: 2-4 hours
• Duration: with a gradual tapering off over the next several hours, lasting an average of 12-18 hours
• When to take it: 0-5 minutes before food

50/50

• Onset: 30 minutes to 1 hour
• Peak: 2-4 hours
• Duration: Gradual tapering off with an average of 16-20 hours duration
• When to take it: 20-30 minutes before food

Rapid Acting insulin is known as Lispro (Humalog), Aspart (Novolog), and Glulisine (Apidra).

Humalog, Novolog, Apidra:

• Onset: 5-15 minutes
• Peak:30-90 minutes
• Duration:2-4 hours
• When to take it: 0-5 minutes before food Insulin

Tips:

Handle and store your insulin correctly so that it works properly.

• STORAGE: Refrigerate pens, vials & cartridges 36-46 degrees until expiration date or until opened. Room temperature means under 86 degrees, and out of direct sunlight
• DO NOT shake, toss, or jostle insulin- this disrupts the insulin molecules
• DATE it when you open it and only use it for 1 month.
• INJECTING: Use proper site rotation use all areas in all of the sites Over-using a site can destroy tissue and cause problems with absorption Different sites can have different absorption rates The abdomen is usually the most consistently absorbed site Arms, thighs, and buttocks can be used but there are more muscles at those sites. Hot showers, baths, saunas, or hot tubs after injections will increase the rate of absorption rate Anything that increases the rate, or speed, of absorption will increase the speed the insulin acts, and could cause an unexpected low
• Needles Pens: It is recommended that you put the protective cap back on and unscrew the pen needle between use. This prevents air from getting into the insulin cartridge when the needle is still poked through the rubber stopper (the air won’t hurt you but you may not get the proper insulin dosage)