Appropriate administration of the insulin is very crucial in view of the fact that sudden upsurges and drops of the glucose levels happen very often in the blood of diabetics. For such purpose many different types of insulin are available nowadays, which are used at different instants throughout the day according to the situation. Some of them are mentioned below:
6 types of insulin and their activity rates
Rapid acting insulin (Lispro):
The important point to be mentioned here is that this type of insulin doesn’t really cause hypoglycemia as it works really fast, within 5 minutes and its activity ends just after two and a half hours to three hours. After 1 hour of its administration it works with its optimum strength and its fully active.
Short acting insulin (regular):
This type of insulin is slightly slower but more stable than Lispro, as its activity starts after 30 minutes and longs for up to 7 hours with reaching its peak almost after three hours of injecting it in the blood stream.
Intermediate acting NPH and Lente insulins:
Activity starts after two hours and lasts up to 24 hours. For the first 12 hours its activity is strongest and works soberly for the other 12 hours. In a nut shell we can say that their working is very similar to that of natural insulin produced in the body.
Long-acting Ultralente insulin:
Though its activity starts very slowly, which is after 6 hours but it is very stable operator in the body as low levels of insulin remain in the blood for as long as 25 hours but activity time may lessen in some patients. This important characteristic makes this insulin feasible for just one dose in one day.
Long acting insulin glargine:
First of all before using this insulin, you must keep one thing in mind, which is not to mix this insulin with other types of insulin. Its functionality is very similar to that of the Long-acting Ultralente insulin with just one dose requirement for low levels of glucose throughout the day. Type-1 diabetics use it extensively.
Mixed insulin:
Diabetics often suffer with numbness in the fingers, shaky hands, and poor vision, which makes insulin mixing in the syringe very grim. Some diabetics may not have these difficulties but may not be comfortable with mixing insulin with another one in appropriate proportions, for any other reason. All these problems are now solved thanks to the availability of premixed insulins available in the market for the ease of the patients.
