Insulin Comparison Chart
By Phartoonz
2 min read
Key takeaways
Insulin comparison chart listing rapid, short, intermediate and long-acting insulins with onset, peak, duration, notes for use and cost estimates.
| Insulin Name | When does it start working? (onset) | When will the effect be the greatest? (peak) | How long will it lower blood glucose?
(duration) |
Notes for Use | Cost estimate |
|
Rapid Acting |
|||||
| Lispro (HumalogTM) | <15 minutes | 0.5-3 hours* | 3-5 hours | If mixing with NPH, rapid acting insulin should be drawn into syringe first. Mixture should be given immediately to avoid effects on peak action. | $96 (10 ml vial)
$183 (5×3 ml pen cartridges) |
| Aspart (Novoloe) | <15 minutes | 0.5-3 hours* | 3-5 hours | 0102 (10 ml vial)
$205 (5×3 ml pen cartridges) |
|
| Glulisine (Apidrem) | <15 minutes | 0.5-3 hour* | 3-5 hours | S96 (10 ml vial)
S184 (5×3 nil pen cartridges |
|
|
Short Acting |
|||||
| Regular (Novolin RTM or Humulin RTM) | 0.5-1 hour | 2-4 hours | 4-8 hours | May be mixed with NPH in same syringe. Mixing order should be the clear regular drawn up first, then the cloudy NPH (ie “clear to cloudy”). | S53 (10 ml vial Humulin or Novolin) 0121 (5×3 ml Novolin pen cartridges) S89 (5×3 eel Innolet cartridges) |
|
Intermediate Acting |
|||||
| NPH (Novolin N,. or Humulin NTM) | 2-4 hours | 4-10 hours | 10-18 hours | Available as pen or in vial to be used with syringe. | S52 (10 ml vial Humulin or Novolin) 0121 (5×3 ml pen cartridges) 091 (5×3 1111 Innolet cartridges) |
|
Long Acting |
|||||
| Glargine (LantusTM) | 4-6 hours | Same action throughout the day | 24 hours | Do not mix with other insulin. Available as pen or in vial.
Duration (clinical trial data): 6 hrs (0.1 U/kg), 12 hrs (0.2 U/kg),20 hrs (0.4 U/kg), 23 hrs (0.8 U/kg and 1.6 U/kg) |
S97 (10 ml vial)
0177 (5×3 ml Solostar pen cartridges) |
| Dctemir (LevcmirTM) | 2-3 hours | 6-8 hours | Dose-dependent 5.7-23.2 hours | S95 (10 ml vial)
$182 (5×3 ml pen cartridges) |
|
|
Combinations |
|||||
| Humulin or Novolin 70/30 | 0.5-1 hour | 2-10 hours | 10-18 hours | 70% NPH +30% regular insulin. Insulin action includes 2 peaks (1 from each formulation). | S54 (10 ml vial)
S135 (5×3 ml pen cartridges) S94 (5×3 ml lnnolet cartridges) |
| Novolog Mix 70/30 Humalog Mix 75/25 or 50/50 | <15 minutes | 1-2 hours | 10-18 hours | Novolog Mix:
aspen protarnine 70% + aspart 30% Humalog mix: 75/25=75% lispro protamine + 25% lispro 50/50=50% lispro protamine + 50% lispro Insulin action includes 2 peaks (1 from each formulation). |
Humalog Mix 75/25:
$102 (10 ml vial), $174 (5×3 ml pen cartridges) |
Insulin Chart (PDF format)
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