Humalog is a new type of insulin. A small structural difference from the insulin commonly taken by people with diabetes, allows it to start working more rapidly, and its effect stops sooner, so it functions more like a normal insulin response system.
Humalog's rapid action makes timing of mealtime injections simpler. With regular human insulin, injections need to be taken 30 to 60 minutes before eating. Humalog is taken just 15 minutes before mealtime, allowing people with busy, irregular schedules to fit diabetes into their lives rather than requiring them to change their lives to fit diabetes.
With Humalog, the rise in blood sugar that typically occurs immediately after eating can be more easily controlled. Humalog reaches its peak effect in 30 to 90 minutes, whereas regular human insulin may take up to six hours to peak.
Humalog also has a shorter duration of action--approximately five hours as compared to six to 16 hours for regular human insulin. Note, however, that because of this shorter duration, people whose basal insulin levels are inadequate, such as those with type I diabetes, will also need to take longer acting insulin, such as NPH, Lente or Ultralente for optimal glucose control.
This new form of insulin results in less variation in absorption than regular human insulin, and it may also lower the risk of nighttime (midnight to 6 a.m.) low blood sugar reactions in people with type I diabetes. In clinical trials, there were no significant differences in adverse reactions with Humalog as compared to regular human insulin.
Anyone with type I or II diabetes who requires rapid-acting insulin in their current regimen can use Humalog. Dosing is equivalent to regular human insulin, making the change easy. An adjustment of dose or schedule of longer-acting insulin may be needed when a patient changes to Humalog.
If you think Humalog may be right for you, talk to your doctor. Any change in insulin should be made cautiously and only under medical supervision.
Humalog's rapid action makes timing of mealtime injections simpler. With regular human insulin, injections need to be taken 30 to 60 minutes before eating. Humalog is taken just 15 minutes before mealtime, allowing people with busy, irregular schedules to fit diabetes into their lives rather than requiring them to change their lives to fit diabetes.
With Humalog, the rise in blood sugar that typically occurs immediately after eating can be more easily controlled. Humalog reaches its peak effect in 30 to 90 minutes, whereas regular human insulin may take up to six hours to peak.
Humalog also has a shorter duration of action--approximately five hours as compared to six to 16 hours for regular human insulin. Note, however, that because of this shorter duration, people whose basal insulin levels are inadequate, such as those with type I diabetes, will also need to take longer acting insulin, such as NPH, Lente or Ultralente for optimal glucose control.
This new form of insulin results in less variation in absorption than regular human insulin, and it may also lower the risk of nighttime (midnight to 6 a.m.) low blood sugar reactions in people with type I diabetes. In clinical trials, there were no significant differences in adverse reactions with Humalog as compared to regular human insulin.
Anyone with type I or II diabetes who requires rapid-acting insulin in their current regimen can use Humalog. Dosing is equivalent to regular human insulin, making the change easy. An adjustment of dose or schedule of longer-acting insulin may be needed when a patient changes to Humalog.
If you think Humalog may be right for you, talk to your doctor. Any change in insulin should be made cautiously and only under medical supervision.
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