Types of insulin

Return to Index Step 1: What is Diabetes? Step 2: Who Gets Type 2 Diabetes? Step 3: How Do You Know if You Have Diabetes? Step 4: You're in Charge! Designing a Treatment Plan Step 5: Monitor Your Blood Sugar Step 6: Lose Weight and Follow the Right Diet Step 7: Exercise Step 8: Drugs and Insulin Step 9: Treat Low Blood Sugar Step 10: Avoid Long-Term Complications Key Points Glossary

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Types of insulin

When you have type 2 diabetes, your pancreas still produces insulin. Over time, however, less and less of this hormone may be produced. This leads to the need to rely on insulin injections to control your blood glucose levels. Insulin injections may be added while continuing the use of diabetes pills.

Insulin, because it can improve blood glucose control, often will lead to a better quality of life and prevent or delay the complications and side effects of diabetes.

Insulin is divided into categories which are based on:

How fast they start to work
When they reach the peak of their action
How long they stay in your system

Types of Insulin	Names of Insulin	How Fast They Start	When the Action Peaks	How Long They Last
Rapid Acting	Humalog/Lispro Novolog/Aspart	5 to 15 minutes	30 to 90 minutes 1 to 3 hours	3 to 5 hours
Short Acting	Regular	1/2 to 1 hour	2 to 4 hours	6 to 8 hours
Intermediate	70/30 NPH Lente	1/2 to 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 1 to 3 hours	2 to 10 hours 6 to 10 hours 6 to 10 hours	10 to 16 hours
Long Acting	Ultralente Lantus/Glargine	4 to 6 hours 1 to 2 hours	18 hours No peak action	24 to 36 hours

There are also combination insulin mixtures that are premixed, such as:

70/30 mix: 70% NPH (intermediate-acting) and 30% Regular (short-acting)
50/50 mix: 50% NPH and 50% Regular

Each person responds differently to insulin. Your doctor will determine the best type of insulin and the best insulin schedule for you.

Review Date: 5/1/2006
Reviewed By: Alan Greene, M.D., F.A.A.P., Department of Pediatrics, Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University School of Medicine; Chief Medical Officer, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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