Using and Understanding Long-Acting Insulin: Varieties, Dosages, Administration, and Duration
People with diabetes require long-acting insulin to regulate their blood glucose levels, especially between meals and overnight. This essential hormone can be delivered through various methods and administered at different injection sites.
Subcutaneous injection is the most common delivery method for long-acting insulin. This can be achieved using a needle and syringe, insulin pens, or injection ports. Insulin pens offer convenience and more accurate dosing than syringes, while injection ports provide a more seamless experience for some patients. Insulin pumps primarily deliver rapid- or short-acting insulin but are increasingly integrated with automated closed-loop systems for basal insulin delivery. However, pumps are less common for long-acting insulin specifically.
Inhaled insulin is mainly used for rapid-acting insulin before meals and is not typically used for long-acting insulin.
Long-acting insulin is injected subcutaneously into areas where absorption is consistent, such as the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, and upper arms. Rotating injection sites within these areas is important to avoid tissue damage such as lipodystrophy, which can develop from repeated injections at the same spot, leading to hardened tissue and impaired insulin absorption.
Long-acting insulin, such as insulin glargine, insulin detemir, and degludec, provides a basal supply lasting typically 20-42 hours or more. It is part of a basal-bolus regimen, often combined with rapid- or short-acting insulins for mealtime glucose control.
It is crucial to change the exact injection site frequently to maintain skin health and avoid lumps forming under the skin. Injections into the abdomen are the quickest route for insulin to reach the blood.
Insulin degludec, a newer type of long-acting insulin, might work better than older versions but is an expensive medication due to pricing and health insurance coverage. The duration of long-acting insulin can vary, with degludec lasting up to 42 hours.
Adjustments to an insulin regimen might be necessary due to changes in diet, physical activity levels, or illness. Finding the ideal long-acting insulin regimen is a trial and error process requiring careful monitoring of blood sugar levels. Each type of long-acting insulin has its own suggested dose, which varies depending on the type of diabetes and any history of insulin use.
Speak to your doctor about an insulin that balances cost and individualized blood glucose requirements to find the best long-acting insulin solution for you.
- People with bipolar disorder might need regular checks on their health-and-wellness, including monitoring for conditions like diabetes, obesity, and depression.
- The predictive science of health-and-wellness suggests that maintaining a balanced diet, regular fitness-and-exercise, and proper nutrition could help reduce the risk of developing conditions like diabetes and obesity.
- In the health-and-wellness realm, depression and diabetes are linked, with depression potentially impacting diabetes management and vice versa.
- A QR code on a prescription medicine bottle could be a useful health-and-wellness tool, providing information about the medication's side effects, proper dosage, and interactions with other medications, such as long-acting insulin.
- The science of nutrition plays a crucial role in managing diabetes, as a well-balanced diet can help control blood glucose levels and reduce the risk of complications like asthma and cardiovascular disease.
- In the context of health-and-wellness, understanding the Type 1 and Type 2 variations of diabetes is essential, as they require different management strategies, including the use of long-acting insulins like insulin glargine, insulin detemir, or degludec.
