Types of insulin

Human insulin is the insulin available in Australia and most other countries around the world. Special arrangements can be made to obtain Beef insulin on medical advice. The strength of insulin is 100 units per ml. Some countries still use 40 or 80 units per ml. The correct insulin syringe must also be used for the insulin strength. Take care to get the correct insulin strength and syringes if obtaining insulin overseas.
There are five different types of insulin available ranging from very short acting to intermediate or long acting. The following are currently available in Australia:


Insulin types and their action

Ultra short acting analogues

  • Should be injected immediately before eating
  • Clear appearance
Onset: 5 to 15 mins Peak: 1 to 3 hours Duration: 5 hours
Drug name Brand name Manufacturer
Insulin Aspart Novorapid Novo Nordisk
Insulin Lispro Humalog Eli Lilly
Insulin Glulisine Apidra Sanofi-Aventis

Short acting insulins

  • Should be injected half an hour before a meal
  • Clear appearance
Onset: 30 mins Peak:  2.5 to 5 hour Duration: 8 hours
Drug name Brand name Manufacturer
Insulin neutral (regular) Actrapid Novo Nordisk
Insulin neutral (regular) Humulin R Eli Lilly

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Intermediate acting insulins

  • Does not need to be injected with a meal
  • Cloudy in appearance
  • Needs to be gently shaken before every use
Onset: 1.5 hrs Peak: 4 to 12 hrs Duration: 12 to 16 ( up to 24hrs)
Drug name Brand name Manufacturer
Isophane Protaphane Novo Nordisk
Isophane (NPH) Humulin NPH Eli Lilly

Long acting analogue insulins

  • Clear in appearance
  • Does not need to be injected with a meal
Drug name
Brand name Manufacturer
Insulin determir Levemir Novo Nordisk
Insulin glargine Lantus Sanofi-Aventis

Pre-mixed insulins

  • Cloudy in appearance
  • Should be gently shaken before every use
  • Humalog Mix and NovoMix need to be injected immediately before a meal
  • Mixtard and Humulin should be injected half an hour before a meal

 
Onset: varies Peak: varies Duration: varies
Drug name Brand name Manufacturer
25 per cent insulin lispro/
75 per cent insulin lispro
protamine suspension		 Humalog Mix 25 Eli Lilly
50 per cent insulin lispro/
50 per cent insulin lispro
protamine suspension		 Humalog Mix 50 Eli Lilly
30 per cent insulin aspart/
70 per cent insulin aspart
protamine supension		 NovoMix 30 Novo Nordisk
30 per cent insulin neutral (regular)
70 per cent isophane		 Humulin 30/70 Eli Lilly
30 per cent insulin neutral (regular)
70 per cent isophane		 Mixtard 30/70 Novo Nordisk
50 per cent insulin neutral (regular)
50 per cent isophane		 Mixtard 50/50 Novo Nordisk

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