List of commercially available insulins

List of commercially available insulins

Overview

Diagram showing short, intermediate, and long-acting insulins

Insulin is a hormone crucial for the regulation of blood glucose levels. It is used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, a condition characterized by high blood sugar levels. There are various types of insulin available commercially, each with different onset, peak, and duration of action. These insulins are categorized into rapid-acting, short-acting, intermediate-acting, long-acting, and ultra-long-acting insulins.

Types of Insulin

Rapid-acting Insulins

Structure of Insulin Lispro

Rapid-acting insulins are designed to mimic the body's natural insulin response to meals. They begin to work within 15 minutes and are effective for 2 to 4 hours. Examples include:

• Insulin lispro (Humalog)
• Insulin aspart (NovoRapid)
• Insulin glulisine (Apidra)

Short-acting Insulins

Short-acting insulins, also known as regular insulins, start working within 30 minutes and last for 5 to 8 hours. They are often used in combination with longer-acting insulins. Examples include:

• Regular insulin (Humulin R, Novolin R)

Intermediate-acting Insulins

Intermediate-acting insulins have an onset of 1 to 2 hours and a duration of 12 to 18 hours. They are often used to control blood sugar levels overnight or between meals. Examples include:

• NPH insulin (Humulin N, Novolin N)

Long-acting Insulins

Long-acting insulins provide a steady level of insulin throughout the day and night. They have an onset of 1 to 2 hours and last up to 24 hours. Examples include:

• Insulin glargine (Lantus, Toujeo)
• Insulin detemir (Levemir)

Ultra-long-acting Insulins

Ultra-long-acting insulins are designed to provide a basal level of insulin for more than 24 hours. They are used to maintain consistent blood glucose levels. Examples include:

• Insulin degludec (Tresiba)

Combination Insulins

Combination insulins contain a mix of rapid- or short-acting insulin with intermediate-acting insulin. They are used to simplify insulin therapy by reducing the number of injections needed. Examples include:

• 70/30 insulin (70% NPH, 30% regular)
• 50/50 insulin (50% NPH, 50% regular)

Insulin Delivery Devices

NovoRapid insulin pen

Insulin can be administered using various devices, including:

• Insulin syringes
• Insulin pens
• Insulin pumps

Related Pages

• Diabetes mellitus
• Insulin therapy
• Blood glucose monitoring