british diabetic association
(IN suh lin AH spart)
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What is the most important information I should know about insulin aspart?
• Know the signs and symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), whichinclude headache, drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, fast heartbeat, sweating,tremor, and nausea british diabetic association. Carry a piece of candy or glucose tablets with you to treatepisodes of low blood sugar british diabetic association.
• Follow any diet and exercise plan that you have developed with your doctoror nurse british diabetic association. Changes in what you eat or how much you exercise can change the amountof insulin that you need to control blood sugar levels british diabetic association.
• Ask your doctor or nurse what to do if you are sick with a cold, flu,or fever british diabetic association. These illnesses may change your insulin requirements british diabetic association.
• Insulin aspart differs from regular human insulin by how quickly it beginsto work and the amount of time it continues to be effective british diabetic association. Because insulinaspart begins to work soon after it is injected, the injection of insulin aspartshould immediately be followed by a meal british diabetic association. Because of the short amount of timethat insulin aspart continues to be effective, a longer-acting insulin may alsobe required british diabetic association.
• Do not change the brand of insulin aspart or syringe that you are usingwithout first talking to your doctor or pharmacist british diabetic association. Some brands of insulin aspartand syringes are interchangeable, while others are not british diabetic association. Your doctor and/or pharmacistknow which brands can be substituted for one another british diabetic association.
What is insulin aspart?
• Insulin is a hormone naturally produced by the pancreas british diabetic association. Insulin enablesthe body to use the sugar in food as a source of energy british diabetic association. When the body doesnot produce enough insulin, or when the insulin produced by the body is noteffective enough, the condition is called diabetes mellitus british diabetic association. This conditionallows sugar levels in the blood to become very high british diabetic association. Diabetics must use man-madeinsulin or insulin that comes from pigs (which is very similar to human insulin)to lower these high blood sugar levels british diabetic association.
• There are three types of insulin, which differ in how soon they beginto work and how long their effects last british diabetic association. Insulin aspart is one type of insulinthat begins to work very quickly and its effects that last for approximately3 to 5 hours british diabetic association. Insulin aspart is usually used in combination with another longer-actinginsulin british diabetic association.
• Insulin aspart may also be used for purposes other than those listedin this medication guide british diabetic association.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using insulin aspart?
• Do not use insulin aspart if you are allergic to insulin or if you havean intolerance of a certain insulin aspart product british diabetic association.
• Before using insulin aspart, tell your doctor if you have kidney or liverdisease british diabetic association. You may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment british diabetic association.
• Insulin aspart is in the FDA pregnancy category C british diabetic association. This means that itis not known whether it will be harmful to an unborn baby british diabetic association. Do not use this medicationwithout first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnantduring treatment british diabetic association.
• It is not known whether insulin aspart passes into breast milk british diabetic association. Do notuse this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feedinga baby british diabetic association.
How should I use insulin aspart?
• Use insulin aspart exactly as directed by your doctor british diabetic association. If you do notunderstand these instructions, ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist to explainthem to you british diabetic association.
• Insulin aspart differs from regular human insulin by how quickly it beginsto work and the amount of time it continues to be effective british diabetic association. Because insulinaspart begins to work soon after it is injected, the injection of insulin aspartshould immediately be followed by a meal british diabetic association. Because of the short amount of timethat insulin aspart continues to be effective, a longer-acting insulin may alsobe required british diabetic association.
• Insulin aspart is usually used immediately before a meal (a meal shouldbe started within 5 to 10 minutes after injecting the medication) british diabetic association. Follow yourdoctor's instructions british diabetic association.
• Rotate injection sites as directed by your doctor british diabetic association. Usually, you shouldnot inject within 1 inch of the same site within 1 month british diabetic association.
• Never reuse a needle or syringe british diabetic association. The syringes used must not contain anyother medicinal product or residue british diabetic association. Dispose of all needles and syringes in anappropriate, puncture-resistant disposal container british diabetic association.
• Do not change the insulin strength (e.g., U-100) or insulin type (e.g.,aspart) unless your doctor recommends a change for you british diabetic association.
• Do not change the brand of insulin aspart or syringe that you are usingwithout first talking to your doctor or pharmacist british diabetic association. Some brands of insulin andsyringes are interchangeable, while others are not british diabetic association. Your doctor and/or pharmacistknow which brands can be substituted for one another british diabetic association.
• Follow any diet and exercise plan that you have developed with your doctoror nurse british diabetic association. Changes in what you eat or how much you exercise can change the amountof insulin that you need to control blood sugar levels british diabetic association.
• Ask your doctor or nurse what to do if you are sick with a cold, flu,or fever british diabetic association. These illnesses may change your insulin requirements british diabetic association.
• Wear some type of medical identification bracelet, necklace, or otheralert tag to inform others that you have diabetes and that you require insulinin the case of an emergency british diabetic association.
• To adequately control diabetes, proper foot care, eye care, dental care,and overall proper health care are necessary british diabetic association. Visit your doctor, dentist, eyedoctor, and other heath care practitioners as recommended by your doctor british diabetic association.
• Do not use any insulin that is discolored, looks thick, has particlesin it, or looks different from your previous bottles or cartridges of insulinaspart british diabetic association.
• Store unopened bottles and cartridges of insulin aspart in the refrigeratorbetween 36 and 46 degrees Fahrenheit (2 and 8 degrees Celsius) british diabetic association. Do not storeinsulin aspart in the freezer and do not allow it to freeze british diabetic association. Do not use insulinaspart if it has been frozen british diabetic association. Throw away any expired insulin aspart british diabetic association.
• Vials or cartridges of insulin aspart in use can be kept unrefrigeratedat room temperature, below 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius), for upto 28 days but should not be exposed to excessive heat or sunlight british diabetic association.
What happens if I miss a dose?
• Follow your doctor's directions if you miss a dose of insulin british diabetic association. To preventmissed doses, be sure to always have enough insulin on hand, especially if youare going on vacation british diabetic association.
What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention british diabetic association.
• Symptoms of an insulin overdose reflect very low blood sugar levels andinclude headache, irregular heartbeat, increased heart rate or pulse, sweating,tremor, nausea, increased hunger, and anxiety british diabetic association.
What should I avoid while using insulin aspart?
• Do not use alcohol without first talking to your doctor british diabetic association. It lowers bloodsugar, and you may experience dangerously low blood sugar levels british diabetic association.
• Follow any diet and exercise plan that you have developed with your doctoror nurse british diabetic association. Changes in what you eat or how much you exercise can change the amountof insulin that you need to control blood sugar levels british diabetic association.
What are the possible side effects of insulin aspart?
• Rarely, people have allergic reactions to insulin british diabetic association. Seek emergency medicalattention if you experience an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closingof your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives) british diabetic association.
• The side effects of insulin therapy result mostly from blood sugar levelsthat are either too high or too low british diabetic association. You should be familiar with the symptomsof both high and low blood sugar levels and know how to treat both conditions british diabetic association. Also, be sure your family and close friends know how to help you in an emergency british diabetic association.
• Low blood sugar may occur when too much insulin is used; when meals aremissed or delayed; if you exercise more than usual; during illness, especiallywith vomiting or diarrhea; if you take other medications; after drinking alcohol;and in other situations british diabetic association.
• Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, has the following symptoms: shaking,headache, cold sweats, pale, cool skin, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating british diabetic association.
• Keep sugary candy; fruit juice; or glucose tablets on hand to treat episodesof low blood sugar british diabetic association.
• Increased blood sugar may occur if not enough insulin is used, if youeat significantly more food then usual, if you exercise less than usual, ifyou take other medications, if you have a fever or other illness, and in othersituations british diabetic association.
• Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, has the following symptoms: increasedthirst, increased hunger, and increased urination british diabetic association.
• Monitor your blood sugar levels and ask your doctor how to adjust yourinsulin doses if your blood sugar levels are too high british diabetic association.
• Side effects may also occur at the site of injection british diabetic association. If the area becomesthickened, hard, or pitted, talk to your doctor before injecting at that siteagain british diabetic association.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur british diabetic association. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome british diabetic association.
What other drugs will affect insulin aspart?
• Many drugs can interact with insulin or affect blood sugar levels british diabetic association. Donot take any other medicines, including prescription products or over-the-countermedicines or supplements, without first talking to your doctor or pharmacistduring treatment with insulin british diabetic association.
Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about insulin aspart writtenfor health professionals that you may read british diabetic association.
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