Insulin for Diabetes Treatment: Types, Side Effects, and Preparations

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Pharmacy Author:

Omudhome Ogbru, PharmD

Omudhome Ogbru, PharmD

Dr. Ogbru received his Doctorate in Pharmacy from the University of the Pacific School of Pharmacy in 1995. He completed a Pharmacy Practice Residency at the University of Arizona/University Medical Center in 1996. He was a Professor of Pharmacy Practice and a Regional Clerkship Coordinator for the University of the Pacific School of Pharmacy from 1996-99.

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Medical and Pharmacy Editor:

Jay W. Marks, MD

Jay W. Marks, MD

Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

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• What is diabetes?
• What are the types of diabetes?
• What are the symptoms of diabetes?
• What are the various brand names and types of insulin?
• What insulin preparations are available?
• For what type of diabetes is insulin prescribed?
• What is the dosage and how is insulin administrated?
• What are the side effects of insulin?
• What are the contraindications, warnings, and precautions for insulin?
• Which drugs interact with insulin?
• How well does insulin treat diabetes?
• What is the mechanism of action for insulin?

What is diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a set of related diseases in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar (specifically, glucose) in the blood.

What are the types of diabetes?

The types of diabetes include:

• Type 1 diabetes
• Type 2 diabetes
• Gestational diabetes
• Prediabetes
• Metabolic syndrome (syndrome x)
• Insulin resistance (a condition that precedes the development of type 2 diabetes)

What are the symptoms of diabetes?

Symptoms of diabetes include

• increased urine output,
• thirst, hunger,
• urinary tract infections,
• unexplained weight loss,
• excessive thirst,
• excessive urination,
• excessive eating,
• poor wound healing,
• certain infections,
• altered mental status,
• blurry vision, and
• fatigue.

What are the various brand names and types of insulin?

Various brand Names | insulin

Drug Class: Antidiabetic agent

Types of insulin

Human insulin preparations (Neutral Protamine Hagedorn or NPH) and regular insulin are made by recombinant DNA technology. The onset of action and duration of action of these insulins do not mimic natural insulin. Therefore, insulin analogs were developed that have faster onset of action and shorter duration of action or longer duration of action with a more uniform action over time. Insulin aspart, lispro, and glulisine are short acting analogs that have an onset of action within 5 to15 minutes and last 2 to 4 hours. Insulin glargine lasts up to 24 hours, and insulin detemir lasts 5.7 to 23.2 hours.

What insulin preparations are available?

Insulin Preparations

Rapid acting insulin

• Apidra (insulin glulisine): Supplied in a cartridge, vial, prefilled pen (Solostar)
• Novolog (insulin aspart): Supplied in a cartridge, vial, prefilled pen (FlexPen)
• Humalog: (insulin lispro): Supplied in a cartridge, vial, prefilled pen (Kwik Pen)

Short acting insulin

• Novolin R, Humulin R (regular insulin): Supplied in a vial

Intermediate acting insulin

• Humulin N, Novolin N (NPH): Supplied in a vial, pen (Humulin N pen)

Long acting insulin

• Lantus (insulin glargine): Supplied in a vial, cartridge (OptiClick), prefilled pen (Solostar)
• Levemir (insulin detemir): Supplied in a vial, prefilled pen (FlexPen)

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