Insulin regular (human)
Known brand names include Humulin R, Novolin R, and Myxredlin.
A short-acting human insulin injected under the skin before meals or given by IV drip in the hospital. It lowers blood sugar in people with diabetes.
Known brand names include Humulin R, Novolin R, and Myxredlin.
A short-acting human insulin injected under the skin before meals or given by IV drip in the hospital. It lowers blood sugar in people with diabetes.
Regular insulin does the job of the body's own insulin. It helps muscle and fat pull sugar out of the blood, and it signals the liver to stop making sugar. It also keeps the body from breaking down stored fat and protein, and it moves potassium from the blood into cells.
Under the skin it starts working in about 30 minutes, has its strongest effect at about 3 hours, and wears off after about 8 hours, though timing varies a lot between people. Given by IV, it starts within about 10 to 15 minutes and wears off in about 4 hours. Too much insulin action drops blood sugar too low, the most common problem with any insulin. If not treated, the shift of potassium into cells can lower blood potassium enough to cause dangerous heart rhythms or paralysis of the breathing muscles.
Regular insulin is a short-acting human insulin for type 1 and type 2 diabetes. In type 1 diabetes the body makes no insulin, and in type 2 the body does not make or use insulin normally, so blood sugar runs too high. It is meant to improve blood sugar control by taking the place of insulin the body would normally make.
It is used by adults and children, injected under the skin about half an hour before meals. Injected this way, it is usually combined with an intermediate- or long-acting insulin, and in type 2 diabetes it is used when pills alone do not control blood sugar. In a hospital or clinic it can also be given by IV, but only under medical supervision. It should not be mixed with any insulin other than NPH human insulin.
Low blood sugar is the side effect people notice most. Skin changes where it is injected, weight gain, swelling, and itching also happen. The label treats severe low blood sugar that can cause seizures or unconsciousness as dangerous, along with low potassium, serious allergic reactions, and heart failure when it is combined with certain diabetes pills.