Insulin Pharmacology
Insulin Pharmacology
Insulin Pharmacology
Rapid-acting insulin
Lispro Onset: 5–15 minutes Basal-bolus insulin regimen Insulin analogs
Aspart Peak: ∼ 1 hour Sliding scale insulin regimen Rapid absorption due to immediate dissociation into individual
glulisine Duration: 3–4 hour insulin molecules
No time interval between injection and meal necessary
Usually combined with long-acting insulin
Short-acting insulin
Regular insulin Onset: ∼ 30 minutes Standard insulin option for lowering blood Recommended interval between injections and meals: 15–30
Peak: 2–3 hours glucose levels in an acute setting (see minutes
Duration: 4–6 hours “Hyperglycemic crises”) Often used in combination with long-acting insulin
Sliding scale insulin regimen The only insulin available for intravenous use
Basal supported oral therapy (BOT)
Intermediate-acting insulin
NPH insulin Onset: 1–2 hours Glucocorticoid-induced hyperglycemia (see Crystalline suspension consisting of regular insulin (with a high
Peak: 6–10 hours weight-based NPH insulin regimen for level of solubility) and protamine (with a low level of solubility)
Duration: 10–16 hours glucocorticoid-induced hyperglycemia) Recommended interval between injections and meal, if it is the
Insulin regimens for enteral and parenteral only antidiabetic drug used: 30–60 minutes
nutrition Often used in combination with rapid-acting or short-acting
Basal-bolus insulin regimen for treatment- insulin
resistant type 2 diabetes mellitus Usually administered twice daily
Long-acting insulin
Insulin glargine Onset: 1–4 hours Basal-bolus insulin regimen Insulin analogs
Insulin detemir Peak: flat; not defined Basal supported oral therapy (BOT) More consistent effect and longer duration of action compared
degludec Duration: ∼ 24 hours to NPH insulin
Often used in combination with rapid or short-acting insulin
Administered once or twice daily
Mixed insulin
Mixed insulin Biphasic effect Basal-bolus insulin regimen Typically a mixture of NPH insulin and either rapid-acting
Short-term effect similar to that of insulin or regular insulin, in a predefined ratio
regular insulin/lispro/aspart Administered 2–3 times daily
Long-term effect similar to that of Only requires one injection per application without the need to
NPH insulin mix fast- and intermediate-acting insulin