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