diabetes mellitus and treatment and children

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 diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Carry a piece of candy or glucose tablets with you to treatepisodes of low blood sugar diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Follow any diet and exercise plan that you have developed with your doctoror nurse diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Changes in what you eat or how much you exercise can change the amountof insulin that you need to control blood sugar levels diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Ask your doctor or nurse what to do if you are sick with a cold, flu,or fever diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. These illnesses may change your insulin requirements diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Insulin aspart differs from regular human insulin by how quickly it beginsto work and the amount of time it continues to be effective diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Because insulinaspart begins to work soon after it is injected, the injection of insulin aspartshould immediately be followed by a meal diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Because of the short amount of timethat insulin aspart continues to be effective, a longer-acting insulin may alsobe required diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Do not change the brand of insulin aspart or syringe that you are usingwithout first talking to your doctor or pharmacist diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Some brands of insulin aspartand syringes are interchangeable, while others are not diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Your doctor and/or pharmacistknow which brands can be substituted for one another diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.

What is insulin aspart?
• Insulin is a hormone naturally produced by the pancreas diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Insulin enablesthe body to use the sugar in food as a source of energy diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. When the body doesnot produce enough insulin, or when the insulin produced by the body is noteffective enough, the condition is called diabetes mellitus diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. This conditionallows sugar levels in the blood to become very high diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. 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 diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• There are three types of insulin, which differ in how soon they beginto work and how long their effects last diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Insulin aspart is one type of insulinthat begins to work very quickly and its effects that last for approximately3 to 5 hours diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Insulin aspart is usually used in combination with another longer-actinginsulin diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Insulin aspart may also be used for purposes other than those listedin this medication guide diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.

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 diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Before using insulin aspart, tell your doctor if you have kidney or liverdisease diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. You may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Insulin aspart is in the FDA pregnancy category C diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. This means that itis not known whether it will be harmful to an unborn baby diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Do not use this medicationwithout first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnantduring treatment diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• It is not known whether insulin aspart passes into breast milk diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Do notuse this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feedinga baby diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.

How should I use insulin aspart?
• Use insulin aspart exactly as directed by your doctor diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. If you do notunderstand these instructions, ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist to explainthem to you diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Insulin aspart differs from regular human insulin by how quickly it beginsto work and the amount of time it continues to be effective diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Because insulinaspart begins to work soon after it is injected, the injection of insulin aspartshould immediately be followed by a meal diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Because of the short amount of timethat insulin aspart continues to be effective, a longer-acting insulin may alsobe required diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Insulin aspart is usually used immediately before a meal (a meal shouldbe started within 5 to 10 minutes after injecting the medication) diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Follow yourdoctor's instructions diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Rotate injection sites as directed by your doctor diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Usually, you shouldnot inject within 1 inch of the same site within 1 month diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Never reuse a needle or syringe diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. The syringes used must not contain anyother medicinal product or residue diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Dispose of all needles and syringes in anappropriate, puncture-resistant disposal container diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Do not change the insulin strength (e.g., U-100) or insulin type (e.g.,aspart) unless your doctor recommends a change for you diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Do not change the brand of insulin aspart or syringe that you are usingwithout first talking to your doctor or pharmacist diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Some brands of insulin andsyringes are interchangeable, while others are not diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Your doctor and/or pharmacistknow which brands can be substituted for one another diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Follow any diet and exercise plan that you have developed with your doctoror nurse diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Changes in what you eat or how much you exercise can change the amountof insulin that you need to control blood sugar levels diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Ask your doctor or nurse what to do if you are sick with a cold, flu,or fever diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. These illnesses may change your insulin requirements diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• 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 diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• To adequately control diabetes, proper foot care, eye care, dental care,and overall proper health care are necessary diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Visit your doctor, dentist, eyedoctor, and other heath care practitioners as recommended by your doctor diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Do not use any insulin that is discolored, looks thick, has particlesin it, or looks different from your previous bottles or cartridges of insulinaspart diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Store unopened bottles and cartridges of insulin aspart in the refrigeratorbetween 36 and 46 degrees Fahrenheit (2 and 8 degrees Celsius) diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Do not storeinsulin aspart in the freezer and do not allow it to freeze diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Do not use insulinaspart if it has been frozen diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Throw away any expired insulin aspart diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• 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 diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.

What happens if I miss a dose?
• Follow your doctor's directions if you miss a dose of insulin diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. To preventmissed doses, be sure to always have enough insulin on hand, especially if youare going on vacation diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.

What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• 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 diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.

What should I avoid while using insulin aspart?
• Do not use alcohol without first talking to your doctor diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. It lowers bloodsugar, and you may experience dangerously low blood sugar levels diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Follow any diet and exercise plan that you have developed with your doctoror nurse diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Changes in what you eat or how much you exercise can change the amountof insulin that you need to control blood sugar levels diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.

What are the possible side effects of insulin aspart?
• Rarely, people have allergic reactions to insulin diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Seek emergency medicalattention if you experience an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closingof your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives) diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• The side effects of insulin therapy result mostly from blood sugar levelsthat are either too high or too low diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. You should be familiar with the symptomsof both high and low blood sugar levels and know how to treat both conditions diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Also, be sure your family and close friends know how to help you in an emergency diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• 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 diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, has the following symptoms: shaking,headache, cold sweats, pale, cool skin, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Keep sugary candy; fruit juice; or glucose tablets on hand to treat episodesof low blood sugar diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• 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 diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, has the following symptoms: increasedthirst, increased hunger, and increased urination diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Monitor your blood sugar levels and ask your doctor how to adjust yourinsulin doses if your blood sugar levels are too high diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Side effects may also occur at the site of injection diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. If the area becomesthickened, hard, or pitted, talk to your doctor before injecting at that siteagain diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.

What other drugs will affect insulin aspart?
• Many drugs can interact with insulin or affect blood sugar levels diabetes mellitus and treatment and children. 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 diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.

Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about insulin aspart writtenfor health professionals that you may read diabetes mellitus and treatment and children.

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