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