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