By Robin Varela, RN, BSN, contributor
For years, short-acting “regular” insulin was the fastest
acting insulin available for patients. Regular insulin was considered the
insulin of choice for IV infusions and given IV push to treat insulin shock.
Enter rapid-acting insulin—most commonly Humalog (insulin
lispro) and NovoLog (insulin aspart). This insulin has a faster onset of action
and a shorter duration of action as compared to regular insulin. Most often
given before meals, rapid-acting insulin has made a difference in patients’
lives.
Rapid-acting insulins were first released 10 years ago and are
now a part of many patients’ therapy. Be sure that you know and understand its
rapid onset of action.
So, don’t forget: Rapid-acting is faster than short
acting—every time.
For more information on different types of insulin, visit the Web site of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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