Diabetes Insulin

Insulin
Insulin is a hormone that has extensive effects on metabolism. Insulin helps and comments cells in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue to take up glucose from the blood and storing glucose as glycogen in the liver and muscles. It there is low or no insulin, body cells are not able to consume glucose, and the body begins to breakdown fat as energy source causing diabetic ketoacidosis.

Insulin is used medically to treat diabetes mellitus. Patients with type 1 diabetes depend on external insulin for their survival because the hormone is no longer produced by their pancreas. Some patients with type 2 diabetes may even require insulin if other oral medicines failed to control blood glucose levels.

Insulin types
Each Insulin type works at a different pace and most people have to use more than one kind to mimic their actual bodies system.

There are different types of insulin available based on the onset and duration time. They are
1. Rapid-acting insulin,
2. Short-acting insulin,
3. Intermediate-acting insulin,
4. Long-acting insulin and
5. Very long-acting insulin.

Insulin Analog
Insulin Analog commonly available in the market are
1. Class: Insulin Aspart, Trade names: NovoLog, NovoLog Mix 50/50, NovoLog Mix 70/30, NovoMix 30, NovoRapid.
2. Class: Insulin Detemir, Trade name: Levemir.
3. Class: Insulin Glargine, Trade name: Lantus.
4. Class: Insulin Glulisine, Trade name: Apidra.
5. Class: Insulin Lispro, Trade names: Humalog, Humalog Mix 50/50, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog Mix 25, Humalog Mix 50

Insulin Regimen
Depend upon individual body condition, life style, food habits and physical activity their insulin regimen is designed for efficient blood glucose control. Diabetes Insulin regimen begins with 2 insulin injections per day of two different types of insulin.

Insulin Storage and Handling
Proper insulin storage and handling is the first and the best starting point for effective diabetes treatment. Insulin does not work to its level when it's stored for too long or is exposed to extreme temperatures both high and very low.
1. Check during purchase whether you get the right kind of insulin.
2. Also check expiry date and inspect that insulin is clear and of good quality.
3. If the room temperature is more than 32 deg C, refrigerate your insulin.
4. Never freeze your insulin.
5. If insulin is stored in refrigerator keep the insulin at room temperature for some time before taking the shot. Cool insulin may cause more pain during injection.
6. Before taking insulin shots, don't shake vigorously instead roll gently between your palms.

Ways to take Insulin
Now a day's there are more choices for the ways to take insulin that is Insulin injecting products, even the choices make us confusing to choose the best one.
1. Simple and economical way of taking insulin shots is syringes.
2. Next easy and convenient mode of taking insulin shots is insulin pens.
3. Insulin pump injects bolus and basal insulin that can provide effective blood glucose level control that mimic human pancreas.
4. Jet injector that inject insulin without needles and without making hole in the body.
5. Auto injector that insert needle and inject required set quantity of insulin in the body automatically.

Insulin therapy
Start your Insulin therapy by following procedure designed as per users experience and manufacturers suggestions for better diabetic care.

The main purpose of Insulin therapy is
1. Proper blood glucose control near normal range.
2. Prevent ketoacidosis and hypoglycemic episodes.
3. Maintain A1C near normal.
4. Prevent or at-least postpone diabetes complications.

Other injectable medicine for diabetes type 1 & 2
Amylin mimetic or Pramlintide (brand Symlin) is a synthetic amylin hormone, secreted by pancreas along with insulin help to normalize blood glucose levels. It is used by both type 1 and type 2 diabetes for their effective diabetes treatments.

Byetta or Exenatide or Incretin mimetic is only for those with type 2 diabetes who take metformin, a sulfonylurea, or both. Enhance insulin secretion in the presence of high blood glucose.