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