Insulin
• Pancreatic hormone that stimulates glucose metabolism
• Low or no insulin production – leads to insulin-dependent diabetes;
– necessitates routine injections of insulin.
Insulin – TYPES
• Beef and pork
• Human insulin
• Insulin Lispro –
synthetic
Insulin – TIMING OF ACTION
• Mealtime Insulin– Rapid-acting
• Has quick onset; short duration• Must be administered within 15 minutes of meal
– Shorter-acting• Starts slower but works longer than above• Must be administered 30 to 60 minutes before
meals
Insulin – TIMING OF ACTION (cont.)
• Basal Insulin– Slower onset, longer duration– Intermediate-acting – Longer-acting
• Mixed insulin– Both mealtime and basal insulins
Insulin – TIMING OF ACTION (cont.)
• Onset – time when insulin begins to lower blood glucose
• Peak – time when insulin’s effect is the greatest
• Duration– Length of time the effect of insulin lasts– Measured from the time of onset
Regular insulin injection administered at 0700
• Onset – 30 minutes, 0730
• Peak – 2.5 to 5 hours post administration, between 0930 and 1200
• Duration – 8 h, until 1530
Insulin – TIMING OF ACTION (cont.)
ExampleExample
Type Onset Peak Duration
Mealtime insulin Rapid-acting 15 – 20 min 1 – 3 hours 3 – 5 hours
Shorter-acting 30 min 1 – 3 hours 6 – 8 hrs
Basal insulin
Intermediate- acting 2 – 5 hours 4 – 8 hours 18 – 26 hours
Long-acting 4-8 hours*10 – 30 hours
24 to greater than 30 hours
Insulin – TIMING OF ACTION (cont.)
*Insulin glargine – onset 70 – 90 minutes
Insulin – LABELS (cont.)
• Same information as other drug labels
• Concentration
– Usually listed twice as• 100 units/mL• U-100
Insulin – LABELS
Expiration date & lot #
Manufacturer
ConcentrationBrand name
Origin
Storage information
Type
Patient Education: MEASURING A SINGLE INSULIN DOSE
1. Always wash hands before handling insulin and syringes.
2. If you are using a basal or mixed insulin, roll the vial between your palms to mix the insulin until all of the insulin looks cloudy.
Patient Education: MEASURING A SINGLE INSULIN DOSE (cont.)
3. Cleanse the rubber stopper of the vial with an alcohol wipe, using a circular motion.
Start at the center of the circleand work outward.
Patient Education: MEASURING A SINGLE INSULIN DOSE (cont.)
4. Draw up an amount of air equal to your insulin dose in the syringe.
Pull back the plunger until the leading ring is aligned with the correct marking on the syringe.
Patient Education: MEASURING A SINGLE INSULIN DOSE (cont.)
5. Inject the air into the insulin vial.
6. Keep the needle inserted through the stopper and turn the vial upside down.
Draw up your ordered dose of insulin.
Patient Education: MEASURING A SINGLE INSULIN DOSE (cont.)
7. Avoid touching the needle during the procedure.
14
Practice
True/False
Onset is the time when insulin begins to lower the glucose level.
Duration is measured from the time the insulin dose was administered.
When mixing insulins, draw up the cloudy before the clear.
Insulin is administered using special syringes marked in units.
F
F
T
T
From the time of onset
Clear then cloudy
Apply Your Knowledge
Match insulin type with correct label.
Mealtime shorter-acting
Mealtime rapid-acting
Basal intermediate-acting
Apply Your Knowledge
The time at which the insulin’s effect is strongest is called:a. Onsetb. Peakc. Duration
