22 | Living with Diabetes
DIABETES
TREATMENT
THE VARIETY OF INSULIN TYPES AND HOW TO TAKE THEM CAN BE CONFUSING AT FIRST. HERE’S SOME ADVICE
ON SELF-INJECTION AND INSULIN ADMINISTRATION TO MAKE THE SUBJECT CLEARER.
ll people who have
type 1 diabetes and
Asome people who
have type 2 diabetes need
to take insulin to help
control blood sugar levels.
The goal of taking insulin
is to keep your blood sugar
level in a normal range as
much as possible so you’ll
stay healthy. Insulin can’t
be taken by mouth. It’s
usually taken by injections
(shots). It can also be taken
using an insulin pen or an
insulin pump.
different types of insulin
5-15 30-60 1-4 1-10
minutes minutes hours hours
Rapid-acting Short-acting Intermediate- Long-acting Pre-mixed
acting insulin
insulin lispro, regular (R) insulin insulin glargine
insulin aspart and
Starts working in
and insulin
insulin NPH (N) A combination
insulin glulisine
30 to 60 minutes
detemir
human of two types of
Begins to work in and lasts three to
Starts working in
Starts working
insulin (usually an
fi ve to 15 minutes eight hours.
one to four hours
within one to ten
intermediate-acting
and lasts two to
and lasts 12 to
hours and lasts up
insulin plus a rapid- or
fi ve hours.
18 hours.
to 24 hours.
short-acting insulin).
Rapid-acting insulin should be Rapid-acting insulin can be more insulin injections — sometimes they
injected no more than 15 minutes convenient to take than regular end up eating too early or too late.
before you eat. Your doctor will tell insulin. With regular (short-acting) Then they don’t achieve the best
you how much insulin to inject. insulin, you inject the insulin and blood sugar control. Since rapid-
Remember, you should not wait then wait 30 to 60 minutes before acting insulin is taken so close to
more than 15 minutes to eat after eating. Many people fi nd it hard meals, it may help you control your
you take this insulin shot. to time their meals around regular blood sugar better.
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