human insulin: prescribing and clinical use
Focused clinical detail for use alongside current product information, local policy and patient-specific assessment.
human insulin: clinical details
Prescribing considerations
- Confirm the exact insulin name, formulation and delivery device; supervise transfers between brands or types closely.
- Review insulin needs during illness, altered diet or activity, pregnancy and changes in interacting medicines.
- Assess hypoglycaemia awareness and implications for driving or safety-critical work.
- Inspect injection sites and reinforce systematic rotation and avoidance of abnormal tissue.
- Record product name and batch number for biological-medicine traceability.
Contraindications and cautions
- Hypersensitivity to human insulin or a formulation excipient.
- Humulin S is contraindicated during hypoglycaemia.
- Insulatard must not be administered intravenously or through an insulin infusion pump.
Monitoring
- Capillary or sensor glucose according to the agreed diabetes plan.
- Frequency, severity and awareness of hypoglycaemia.
- Hyperglycaemia and ketones during illness or suspected insulin interruption.
- Renal, hepatic, thyroid, adrenal or pituitary disease that may alter insulin requirements.
- Injection-site lipodystrophy, cutaneous amyloidosis and altered absorption.
- Heart-failure symptoms when combined with pioglitazone.
Clinical pharmacology
Human insulin activates insulin receptors, increasing peripheral glucose uptake and suppressing hepatic glucose output. Soluble Humulin S is shorter acting, while protamine-containing isophane Insulatard has delayed, prolonged absorption.
Formulation and product differences
- Humulin S cartridge is a clear soluble preparation for subcutaneous use with a compatible Lilly reusable pen; intravenous administration requires the appropriate vial presentation.
- Insulatard Penfill is a cloudy isophane suspension for subcutaneous use with compatible Novo Nordisk reusable pens and requires resuspension before injection.
- Cartridges are single-patient devices, must not be refilled and are not interchangeable between incompatible pen systems.
human insulin preparations and strengths
Oral mixture
Route: Oral
Strengths: 100 units/mL
Injection
Route: Parenteral
Strengths: 100 units/mL
human insulin interactions
Medicines and alcohol can alter glucose levels, change insulin requirements or conceal hypoglycaemia. Monitor glucose more closely when relevant treatments change.
Other glucose-lowering medicines, salicylates, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers
May strengthen glucose lowering and increase hypoglycaemia risk.
Glucocorticoids, thyroid hormones, thiazide diuretics, growth hormone, danazol or beta-2 agonists
May raise glucose and reduce insulin's apparent effect.
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.