How To Use An Insulin Pen
Whether you're at home or on the go, an insulin pen offers the benefits of accuracy, convenience, and confidence to people with diabetes. Here's how to use one safely and easily. Whether you're at home or on the go, an insulin pen offers the benefits of accuracy, convenience, and confidence to people with diabetes. Here's how to use one safely and easily. Whether you're at home or on the go, an insulin pen offers the benefits of accuracy, convenience, and confidence to people with diabetes. Here's how to use one safely and easily. Whether you're at home or on the go, an insulin pen offers the benefits of accuracy, convenience, and confidence to people with diabetes. Here's how to use one safely and easily. Continue reading >>
Is An Insulin Pen Right For You?
Thinking About Trying an Insulin Pen? For decades, taking insulin required a syringe and a vial. Another option for taking insulin began about 20 years ago when the first insulin pen hit the market. Insulin pens, which look like oversize ink pens, generally contain 300 units of one type of insulin or a fixed combination of two insulins. The pen is a convenient, accurate, and discreet way to take insulin. The ability to quickly and easily deliver a dose of insulin wherever and whenever you need is the pen's biggest advantage. Also, if you lack dexterity in your fingers, an insulin pen might be easier for you to manage than a vial and syringe. "When a person's health plan will cover pens, I try to prescribe them," says cardiologist Steven Nash, M.D., of Manlius, New York. "I think they're much easier to use than syringes." Insulin pens are also great for traveling because they're small and can be kept at room temperature. "My insulin pen has made taking insulin easier," says Marsha LaClair, 41, of Austin, Texas, who has type 1 diabetes. "I travel frequently, and now packing to manage my diabetes is a breeze." Reusable and Disposable Pens Insulin pens fall into two categories: reusable and disposable. Reusable insulin pens use replaceable cartridges filled with insulin; they usually contain 300 units of insulin each. When the cartridge is empty, or if you've stored your pen and cartridge at room temperature for more than 28 days, the cartridge is discarded and a new one is inserted. The more commonly used disposable pens come prefilled with insulin. When the pen is empty or has been stored at room temperature for more than 28 days, discard the whole pen. However, insulin pens do not come with a needle attached. You need to attach an insulin-pen needle to the end of the pen Continue reading >>
![Indications And Usage For Apidra® (insulin Glulisine [rdna Origin] Injection)](https://diabetestalk.net/images/.jpg)
Indications And Usage For Apidra® (insulin Glulisine [rdna Origin] Injection)
Prescription Apidra® is for adults with type 2 diabetes or adults and children (4 years and older) with type 1 diabetes to improve blood sugar control. Apidra® given by subcutaneous injection is usually used with a longer-acting insulin. When used as a mealtime insulin, Apidra® should be given within 15 minutes before or within 20 minutes after starting a meal. Apidra® may be infused subcutaneously by external insulin infusion pumps. Do not use Apidra® during a low blood sugar reaction (hypoglycemia) or if you are allergic to any of the ingredients in Apidra®. Do not share needles, insulin pens or syringes with others. Do NOT reuse needles. You must test your blood sugar levels while using insulin, such as Apidra®. Do not make any changes to your dose or type of insulin without talking to your healthcare provider. Any change of insulin should be made cautiously and only under medical supervision. Apidra® must only be used if the solution is clear and colorless with no particles visible. Apidra®, when given by injection under the skin, should not be mixed with insulins other than NPH. Do not mix Apidra® with any insulin when used in the pump or for intravenous administration. The most common side effect of insulin, including Apidra®, is low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which may be serious. Some people may experience symptoms such as shaking, sweating, fast heartbeat, and blurred vision. Severe hypoglycemia may be serious and life threatening. It may cause harm to your heart or brain. Other possible side effects may include low blood potassium, injection site reactions, such as changes in fat tissue at the injection site, and allergic reactions, such as itching and rash. Less common, but potentially more serious or life-threatening, is generalized allergy to in Continue reading >>
Insulin Pen
Two types of modern, pre-filled insulin syringes. An insulin pen is used to inject insulin for the treatment of diabetes. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. It is composed of an insulin cartridge (integrated or bought separately) and a dial to measure the dose, and is used with disposable pen needles to deliver the dose. It was introduced and marketed as NovoPen by the Danish company Novo Nordisk in 1985. Types of pens[edit] A number of companies make insulin pens including Novo Nordisk, Aventis, Eli Lilly and Biocon. These companies produce pens for most of their insulins, including NovoLog/NovoRapid, Humalog, Levemir and Lantus. There are two pen systems: durable and prefilled: A durable pen uses a replaceable insulin cartridge. When the insulin cartridge is empty, the empty cartridge is disposed of and a new one is inserted in the pen. A prefilled pen is entirely disposable. The pen comes pre-filled with insulin, and when the insulin cartridge or reservoir is empty, the entire unit is discarded. Most brands of insulin are now available for use in pens, these include: NovoMix, NovoRapid and Levemir by Novo Nordisk Lantus and Apidra by Sanofi-Aventis Humulin and Humalog by Eli Lilly and Company INSUGEN and BASALOG by Biocon Global Patient Uptake[edit] Insulin pens are used by 95% of insulin-treated patients in Europe, Asia, Australia and Scandinavia with excellent results.[1] They are currently underutilized but growing in use in the United States. Insulin pens offer several significant advantages over insulin syringes: ease of handling, accuracy, and they are more discreet to use and easier to transport. To use an insulin pen[edit] How to prime an insulin pen. Screw or click on a new pen needle. If necessary, prime the pen to remove any air from the needle Continue reading >>
Insulin Pen:types,advantages,disadvantages & Cost
An insulin pen is used to inject insulin for the treatment of diabetes. Insulin delivery systems such as insulin pens can make giving insulin shots much easier. The pens include an insulin cartridge, a dial to measure dosage, and a disposable needle. You may need a different pen for each type of insulin you use. An insulin pen is several different brands and models and falls into two distinct categories- A reusable pen: this comprises a replaceable insulin cartridge. Once empty, the cartridge is discarded and a new one put in. A disposable pen: this comprises a prefilled insulin cartridge. Once adopted, the entire pen unit is thrown away. Most brands of insulin are available for use in pens, these comprise: NovoMix, NovoRapid, and Levemir by Novo Nordisk Humulin and Humalog by Eli Lilly and Company Lantus and Apidra by Sanofi-Aventis The most significant advantage of the Insulin pens is to carry them with you at all times as they are transportable, even school going kids who have diabetes can use the same and they do not have to miss their daily dosage when they are away. Easy to use, particularly for older adults and children. It is very important for a diabetic patient to take the right amount of Insulin dosage. Ability to accurately pre-set doses using a dial. Memory features to record when and how much the immediate dose was. Finally, small and thin needle sizes that reduce fear and pain, are considered to be painless and hence are preferred over the Insulin syringes. Although there are several advantages to insulin pens, there are also some disadvantages. These include: The Insulin pens are more expensive as compared to Insulin usage in the bottles as well as the syringes. Not all types of insulin can be used Sometimes, the use of Insulin pens can cause a lot of wa Continue reading >>
Insulin: The Holy Grail Of Diabetes Treatment
Insulin is a hormone made by beta cells in the pancreas. When we eat, insulin is released into the blood stream where it helps to move glucose from the food we have eaten into cells to be used as energy. In people with type 1 diabetes, the body produces little or no insulin as the cells that produce insulin have been destroyed by an autoimmune reaction in the body. Insulin replacement by daily injections is required. In people with type 2 diabetes the body produces insulin but the insulin does not work as well as it should. This is often referred to as insulin resistance. To compensate the body makes more but eventually cannot make enough to keep the balance right. Lifestyle changes can delay the need for tablets and/or insulin to stabilise blood glucose levels. When insulin is required, it is important to understand that this is just the natural progression of the condition. RMIT University have produced a short overview of insulin, a drug that keeps in excess of one million Australians alive. Watch the video to understand why insulin is important and why so many Australians rely on it to stay alive. Copyright © 2015 RMIT University, Prepared by the School of Applied Sciences (Discipline of Chemistry). At this stage, insulin can only be injected. Insulin cannot be given in tablet form as it would be destroyed in the stomach, meaning it would not be available to convert glucose into energy. Insulin is injected through the skin into the fatty tissue known as the subcutaneous layer. You do not inject it into muscle or directly into the blood. Absorption of insulin varies depending on the part of the body into which you inject. The tummy (abdomen) absorbs insulin the fastest and is the site used by most people. The buttocks and thighs are also used by some people. While i Continue reading >>
Insulin Pens: Improving Adherence And Reducing Costs
The advantages offered by insulin pens may help improve patient adherence. Currently 8.3% of the United States adult population, or 25.8 million people, have diabetes. Of these cases, more than 90% are cases of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and at least 1 million are estimated to be cases of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Although a variety of oral medications are available for patients with diabetes, insulins remain an important component of treatment.1,2 Insulins are the standard therapy in patients with T1DM and are ultimately used in patients with T2DM who do not respond adequately to other treatment modalities. Although in some settings insulins may be administered intravenously (eg, with an insulin pump), the vast majority of insulin administrations are subcutaneous injections.1,2 Available Forms and Administration In the United States, 2 types of insulins are available: recombinant human insulins and insulin analogs. Recombinant human insulin is available from 2 manufacturers (Humulin by Eli Lilly and Novolin by Novo Nordisk); each of these is available in a regular form and in a longer-acting neutral protamine hagedorn (NPH) form. Unlike recombinant human insulins, insulin analogs are structurally modified forms of insulin that are designed to either lower blood sugar rapidly or maintain low blood sugar levels over time. These insulin analogs may be classified as rapid-acting and long-acting insulins. Rapid-acting insulins include insulin lispro, insulin aspart, and insulin glulisine, and long-acting insulins include insulin glargine and insulin detemir. Premixed formulations of insulin are also available.1,2 Regardless of the differences between insulin formulations, all conventional types of insulin can be administered subcutaneously. Subcutaneous injectio Continue reading >>
Insulin Pens
Tweet Insulin pens are common in the United Kingdom, and are generally characterised by a different shape and the fact that they use an insulin cartridge as opposed to a vial. Some insulin pens use replaceable cartridges, and others use non-replaceable cartridges and must be disposed of after being used. Most insulin pens use replaceable insulin pen needles, which have become extremely short and thin. The replaceable cartridges for insulin pens come in 3 and 1 ½ ml sizes, although 3 is more common and has become dominant. Prefilled insulin pens are disposed of when the insulin within the cartridge is used up. Prefilled pens are often marketed for type 2 diabetics who need to use insulin. Insulin Pens Browse through our list of insulin pen reviews. You can also buy the insulin pens from the Diabetes Shop. Simply click on an insulin pen name to read the guide. How do I use an insulin pen to treat my diabetes? Using a pen is a relatively easy process. Some pens require gentle shaking before use. Once the cartridge is loaded, screw on a needle and prime the pen to clear air. Then dial in the exact dose that you require to deliver the insulin to the body. What is good about insulin pens as opposed to syringes? Insulin pens are very easy to use. They are great for young diabetics who need to deliver insulin at school. Furthermore, many diabetics find insulin pens almost painless. They are also portable and discreet, as well as not being as time-consuming as syringes. An accurate dose can be pre-set on the dosage dial, which can be useful for diabetes sufferers who also have impaired vision. Why might I not like insulin pens? Insulin pens are not right for 100% of diabetes patients. Insulin in pens and cartridges is generally more expensive than bottled insulin and syringes. Continue reading >>
How To Use An Insulin Pen
If you need to take insulin, chances are you need to give yourself injections. Injecting yourself can be scary, especially for the first time. The truth is that insulin injections are not as painful as you imagine because the needles are short and thin. An insulin pen is a device that makes injecting insulin easier and more convenient for you compared to using a syringe. Advantages of Insulin Pens easy to use and carry around no need to draw insulin from a vial (bottle) easy to adjust dose less wastage of expired insulin look less scary than a syringe do not require refrigeration as long as you keep it out of direct sunlight in room temperature (only new unopened insulin pens require refrigeration) Disadvantages of Insulin Pens There are two types of insulin pens: Disposable pens contain a prefilled insulin cartridge and are thrown away when the cartridge is empty. Reusable pens come with an insulin cartridge that can be replaced each time it is emptied. The insulin pen you need will depend on the type of insulin you require and the number of units you typically need per injection. Ask your doctor to help you choose the best option. As the needles come in different lengths and thickness, your doctor should also decide which needle is best for you. Follow These Steps to Use an Insulin Pen insulin pen — check its expiry date pen needle alcohol swap or cotton ball moistened with alcohol puncture-proof plastic container with a screw-on cap (e.g. shampoo or pill container) for putting away sharp needles Step 1. Prepare the Insulin Pen Step 2. Remove Tab and Needle Covers Remove the protective pull tab from the needle and screw the needle onto the pen. Remove the needle cap. Step 3. Clear Air from Needle Holding the pen up with the needle pointing up Continue reading >>
Novolog® (insulin Aspart Injection) 100 U/ml Indications And Usage
NovoLog® is contraindicated during episodes of hypoglycemia and in patients hypersensitive to NovoLog® or one of its excipients. Never Share a NovoLog® FlexPen, NovoLog® FlexTouch®, PenFill® Cartridge, or PenFill® Cartridge Device Between Patients, even if the needle is changed. Patients using NovoLog® vials must never share needles or syringes with another person. Sharing poses a risk for transmission of blood-borne pathogens. Changes in insulin strength, manufacturer, type, or method of administration may affect glycemic control and predispose to hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia. These changes should be made cautiously under close medical supervision and the frequency of blood glucose monitoring should be increased. NovoLog® (insulin aspart injection) 100 U/mL is an insulin analog indicated to improve glycemic control in adults and children with diabetes mellitus. NovoLog® is contraindicated during episodes of hypoglycemia and in patients hypersensitive to NovoLog® or one of its excipients. Never Share a NovoLog® FlexPen, NovoLog® FlexTouch®, PenFill® Cartridge, or PenFill® Cartridge Device Between Patients, even if the needle is changed. Patients using NovoLog® vials must never share needles or syringes with another person. Sharing poses a risk for transmission of blood-borne pathogens. Changes in insulin strength, manufacturer, type, or method of administration may affect glycemic control and predispose to hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia. These changes should be made cautiously under close medical supervision and the frequency of blood glucose monitoring should be increased. Hypoglycemia is the most common adverse effect of insulin therapy. The timing of hypoglycemia may reflect the time-action profile of the insulin formulation. Glucose monitoring is re Continue reading >>
Insulin Treatment
Insulin is a hormone made in your pancreas, which lies just behind your stomach. It helps our bodies use glucose for energy. Everyone with Type 1 diabetes and some people with Type 2 diabetes need to take insulin – either by injection or a pump – to control their blood glucose levels (also called blood sugar levels). Injecting insulin Insulin is injected using a syringe and needle, or an insulin pen or needle. The needles used are very small as the insulin only needs to be injected under the skin (subcutaneously) – not into a muscle or vein. Once it's been injected, it soaks into small blood vessels and is taken into the bloodstream. As your confidence grows and you become more relaxed, injections will get easier and soon become second nature. The most frequently used injection sites are the thighs, buttocks and abdomen. You may be able to inject into your upper arms, but check with your diabetes team first as this isn't always suitable. As all these areas cover a wide skin area, you should inject at different sites within each of them. It is important to rotate injection sites, as injecting into the same place can cause a build up of lumps under the skin (also known as lipohypertrophy), which make it harder for your body to absorb and use the insulin properly. The three groups of insulin There are three groups of insulin – animal, human (not from humans but produced synthetically to match human insulin) and analogues (the insulin molecule is like a string of beads; scientists have managed to alter the position of some of these beads to create 'analogues' of insulin). Nowadays, most people use human insulin and insulin analogues, although a small number of people still use animal insulin because they have some evidence that they otherwise lose their awareness of Continue reading >>
- Relative effectiveness of insulin pump treatment over multiple daily injections and structured education during flexible intensive insulin treatment for type 1 diabetes: cluster randomised trial (REPOSE)
- New diabetes treatment could eliminate need for insulin injections
- Diabetes treatment: THIS new drug could be biggest development since discovery of insulin
Insulin Pens
What are Insulin Pens? Insulin pens are devices that can provide an easy way to carry and give insulin when away from home. Also, for people who are not comfortable working with syringes and bottles to draw up and measure individual doses, the pens provide a convenient and accurate alternative. The goal is to inject the insulin into the subcutaneous tissue between the top layer of the skin, the dermis and the underlying muscle layer. There are two types of insulin pens: those that are completely disposable after providing a single dose of insulin, those that use disposable cartridges to provide multiple doses. If you use more than one type of insulin, you must use a separate pen for each type. The basic method of use is similar for both pens and there are four main steps to be learned. An insulin pen has three components: a base which contains the mechanism for measuring the correct dose, a holder for the cartridge of insulin, a cap, which is removed and replaced by the needle prior to the injection. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to remove the cap, separate the base from the cartridge holder by unscrewing it. Rewind the base dose regulating mechanism back to zero and put down the base. Pick up the cartridge holder. Shake out the used cartridge. Check that the new cartridge contains the correct insulin and insert it, metal end first, into the holder. Screw the cartridge holder back onto the base. Keep a record of all your injections and also record when you begin a new cartridge. Subtract the total insulin used in previous injections from the total of 150 units in each cartridge to be sure you have enough insulin left for the next dose. Clean the end of the cartridge holder and the projecting cartridge with an alcohol swab. Remove the seal from the end of the Continue reading >>
Getting Started With Insulin
If you have been talking about getting started on insulin with your doctor, or if taking insulin is new to you, you may have questions or concerns. The following guide will help you understand the types of insulin, options for taking insulin, how and where to inject insulin, and insulin care and storage. Insulin pens Your pen comes with an instruction book. Please review it to understand how your pen works, how to load the cartridge and how to prepare your pen for an insulin injection. Mixing insulin Insulin that is cloudy (NPH, premixed) needs to be mixed before using. The pen should be rolled ten times, tipped ten times and checked for a milky-white consistency. Check insulin flow (prime) Attach pen needle. Dial up two units and, with pen tip facing upwards, push the dosing button. If no stream of insulin appears, repeat with another two units. Giving your injection After you have checked the insulin flow, dial up the dose of insulin to be taken. Insert pen tip into skin at a 90º angle. Push the dosing button until you see ‘0’. Count 10 seconds before removing the needle from your skin to ensure you receive the full dose. With longer needles (≥ 8mm), you may need to gently lift the skin before injection. Insulin injection sites Site Pros Cons Abdomen (tummy) Stay 2 inches (5 cm) away from your belly button Easy to reach; insulin absorbs fast and consistently None Buttock and thigh Slower absorption rate than from abdomen and arm sites Slower absorption; absorption can be affected by exercise Outer arm After abdomen, arm provides the next fastest absorption rate Harder to reach for self-injections NOTE: It is really important to change (rotate) where you give yourself insulin to prevent fatty lumps from forming since these can affect how your body absorbs insuli Continue reading >>
Health Navigator New Zealand
Easy-to-read medicine information about insulin – what it is, how to use insulin safely and possible side effects. Insulin in our body is made by our pancreas so if the insulin-producing cells in our pancreas are damaged, (such as in type 1 diabetes and over time in type 2 diabetes) then we need to replace this insulin to help our bodies function well. Insulin cannot be taken by mouth as a tablet because it is inactivated by our digestive enzymes. Insulin needs to be taken as an injection, just under the skin so it can be absorbed into the bloodstream and travel around the body to help glucose get into our cells and give us the energy we need for daily life. Types of insulin There are different brands of insulin available in New Zealand and these are grouped by the time it takes for the insulin to work. Usually works straight away, so it is injected just before or with food. Its effect lasts 1 to 2 hours. Available as: NovoRapid Apidra Apidra Solostar Humalog Usually works within 15 to 20 minutes, so inject each dose 15 to 20 minutes before you eat. Its effect lasts 3 to 4 hours. Available as: Actrapid Humulin R Intermediate and long acting insulin Usually works after about 1 hour. Its effect lasts all day and may be injected once or twice a day. Available as: Protophane Humulin NPH Lantus Lantus Solostar Levemir (not subsidized in New Zealand) These insulins are a mixture of short and intermediate acting insulins. These may be injected twice a day. Available as: NovoMix 30 FlexPen PenMix 30 PenMix 40 PenMix 50 Humulin 30/70 Mixtard 30 Humalog Mix 25 Humalog Mix 50 Dose Your doctor or nurse will work with you to find the best insulin to meet your needs. This can be made up of a rapid acting insulin and an intermediate or long acting insulin, or it can be insulin and t Continue reading >>
Improved Disposable Insulin Pen Devices Provide An Alternative To Vials And Syringes For Insulin Administration
The prevalence of diabetes has increased so rapidly during the past 30 years that the condition is now a problem of national importance in the United States. It has been estimated that 12.3% of individuals aged 20–79 years in the United States (26.8 million people) have diabetes, and the vast majority of those have type 2 diabetes.1 Diabetes has devastating effects on patient morbidity and mortality that, in turn, place a substantial economic burden on the nation's health care resources. In 2010, an estimated 231,000 deaths among people aged 20–79 years in the United States were attributable to diabetes, and the mean annual health expenditure per person with diabetes was $7,383.1 Morbidity and mortality and the associated costs of treatment in diabetes are primarily due to hyperglycemia; achieving and maintaining optimal glycemic control is important for both patients with type 1 diabetes and those with type 2 diabetes to reduce the risk of developing long-term complications.2,3 Typically, in patients with type 1 diabetes, glycemic control is achieved from the time of diagnosis with insulin, whereas in type 2 diabetes, the addition of insulin to an initial regimen of oral antidiabetes drugs (OADs) is known to confer benefits in terms of reduced risk of long-term complications.4 However, although the importance of maintaining optimal glycemic control in diabetes is well documented, insulin therapy is widely underused in the United States,5 largely because a number of barriers to initiation of and adherence to insulin therapy exist such as fear of injections (including self-injection).6,7 Insulin pen delivery devices such as the SoloSTAR (sanofi-aventis, Paris, France), the FlexPen (Novo Nordisk A/S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark), and the KwikPen (Eli Lilly, Indianapolis, Ind.) Continue reading >>
