Types of insulin: how they work and how to take

Insulin is a hormone naturally produced by the body to control blood glucose levels, but when not enough is produced for this function, as in diabetes, it is necessary to use drugs with synthetic insulin.

There are several types of synthetic insulin, such as regular insulin, NPH, Lispro, Glargine or Detemir, for example, that mimic the action of the body's natural hormone at every moment of the day, and are applied through daily injections into the skin with syringes, pens or small specialized pumps.

Thus, insulin helps to normalize the blood glucose values detected by the blood test, and to allow the diabetic to maintain a healthy life and avoid complications of diabetes, such as retinopathy, renal failure and infarction, for example.

However, its use should only be initiated at the recommendation of the general practitioner or endocrinologist, as the type of insulin and its amounts vary according to the needs of each person.

Main types of insulin

The types of insulin differ according to the time of action and when they should be applied, including:

1. Insulin Detemir, Deglutega or Glargina

These are long- acting or slow - acting insulins that last for a whole day, so the amount in the blood remains constant, to mimic the basal and minimum insulin throughout the day. The main types are Detemir (Levemir), Deglutega (Tresiba), which last more than 24 hours or Glargina (Lantus), which lasts more than 30 hours.

Currently there are ultra-long insulins, which can act for 2 days, which can decrease the number of bites and improve the quality of life of diabetics.

2. NPH, Slow or NPL insulin

This type of insulin is considered to be of intermediate action and acts for about half a day, between 12 to 24 hours, and the main types are NPH (Novolin N, Humulin N, Insulatard), Lenta (Humulin L, Novolin L) and NPL (Humalog Mix).

It can also mimic the basal effect of insulin, being applied 1 to 3 times a day, depending on the amount needed for each person, and the orientation by the doctor.

3. Regular insulin

Also known as fast - acting or regular insulin (Novorapid, Humulin R or Novolin R), it is an insulin that should be applied about 30 minutes before main meals, usually 3 times a day, and that helps to maintain glucose levels stable after eating.

4. Lispro, Aspart or Glulisine insulin

It is a type of insulin is the ultra-fast acting insulin, which has the most immediate effect, and must be applied immediately before eating or, in some cases, shortly after eating, imitating the action of the insulin that is produced when we eat for prevent blood sugar levels from getting high.

The main ones are Lispro (Humalog), Aspart (Novorapid Flexpen) or Glulisina (Apidra).

Features of each type of insulin

The characteristics that differentiate the main types of insulin are:

Type of insulin	Start of action	Peak action	Duration	Insulin Color	How much to take
Ultra-fast action	5 to 15 min	30 min to 1 hour and 30 min	4 to 6 hours	Transparent	Just before meals
Quick Action	30-60 min	2 to 3 hours	6 to 8 hours	Transparent	30 min before meals
Intermediate Action	2 to 4 hours	5 to 8 hours	12 to 18 hours	Milky and cloudy	Usually 2 to 3 times a day
Slow Action	2 to 4 hours	without peak	24 to 30 hours	Transparent	Usually once a day

The onset of insulin action corresponds to the time it takes for the insulin to start taking effect after administration and the peak action is the time when the insulin reaches its maximum action.

Some diabetics may need quick-acting, ultra-fast and intermediate-acting insulin preparations, called premixed insulin, such as Humulin 70/30 or Humalog Mix, for example, to control the disease and is usually used for facilitate its use and reduce the number of bites, especially by elderly people or those who have difficulty preparing insulin due to motor or vision problems.

In addition to insulin injections delivered with a specialized pen or syringe, you can also use the insulin pump, which is an electronic device that stays connected to the body and releases insulin for 24 hours, and allows better control of blood sugar levels. blood and diabetes and can be used for individuals of all ages, usually in type 1 diabetes. Learn more about how to use and where to find the insulin pump.

How to apply insulin

For any type of insulin to take effect, it is essential to apply it correctly, and for this it is necessary:

Make a small fold in the skin, before giving the injection, so that it is absorbed in the subcutaneous region; Insert the needle perpendicular to the skin and apply the medication; Varying the injection sites, between the arm, thigh and belly, and even in these places it is important to rotate, to avoid bruising and lipohypertrophy.

In addition, it is important to conserve insulin, keeping it in the refrigerator until it is opened and after the package is open it must be protected from the sun and heat and should not be used for more than 1 month. Better understand the details of how to apply insulin.