This is an automatically translated article.
Article written by Pharmacist Cao Thanh Tu, Faculty of Pharmacy - Vinmec Times City International Hospital
Currently, there are many different types of insulin on the market. One of the factors that determines which type of insulin to use is the duration of insulin action.
1. Time of action of different types of insulin?
Insulins are classified according to their onset of action (i.e. the time from injection to the onset of blood sugar lowering effects) and duration of action (the length of time from onset of action). until the blood sugar-lowering effect wears off). Based on this classification, insulin can be divided into the following groups:
Rapid-acting insulin (insulin aspart, glulisine, lispro): begins to work 5-15 minutes after injection and lasts 3-5 minutes. hours, can be given just before a meal or even after a meal (in certain cases)
Short-acting insulin (regular insulin): begins to work 30-60 minutes after injection and lasts 5-8 hours, so it should be injected about 30 minutes before meals
Thời gian tác dụng phụ thuộc vào loại insulin sử dụng
Intermediate-acting insulin is usually taken once or twice a day because it has a longer duration of action than rapid or short-acting insulin. This type of insulin begins to work 1-2 hours after injection Long-acting insulin (detemir, glargine, degludec): the duration of action can last up to 24 hours or longer, can be used at a fixed hour fixed for the day
Mixed insulin: combination of rapid-acting insulin with long-acting insulin or rapid-acting insulin with intermediate-acting insulin
2. What does the duration of action of insulin depend on?
In addition to the structural features of insulin, the duration of action of insulin also depends on many other factors such as dose, injection site, blood flow through the injection site, physical activity, smoking. ....These factors affect insulin absorption time, when insulin is absorbed quickly, the effect will be faster and vice versa when insulin is absorbed slowly, the effect of insulin will appear slower.
Insulin dose: The dose of insulin affects how quickly the body absorbs insulin. For example, high-dose insulin may be absorbed more slowly than low-dose insulin. Therefore, when insulin is used in high doses, it may be slower to reach maximum effect or last longer than when used at low doses. Site of injection: Insulin is absorbed at different rates at different sites. each other of the body. Insulin is absorbed fastest when injected in the abdomen, slowest when injected in the legs and buttocks, and at a moderate rate when injected in the arm. Therefore, the same injection site should be used for the injection at the same time of day. For example, use the abdomen for injections before meals, use the thigh or buttocks area for the evening dose. It should be noted that the injection site must be rotated within the same area to avoid irritation and disturbance of subcutaneous fat formation in the injection site.
Vị trí tiêm ảnh hưởng đến thời gian tác dụng của insulin
Injection technique: the needle must be inserted at the correct angle and depth. Inserting the needle too deeply can introduce insulin into the muscle (where insulin is absorbed more quickly), and too shallow a needle can introduce insulin into the skin (causing pain and reducing drug absorption leading to a decrease in insulin's effect). The angle of injection depends on body characteristics (fatty, thin patient...), injection site and length of needle. The medical staff will instruct the patient on how to properly inject Blood flow to the injection site: any factor that changes the rate of blood flow to the injection site changes the absorption of insulin. Smoking reduces blood flow to tissues and reduces insulin absorption. In contrast, factors that increase skin temperature such as exercise, sauna, hot bath... will increase insulin absorption and may cause hypoglycemia. Therefore, to ensure stable effects of insulin, patients need to carefully check to make sure that they are using the right type of insulin, at the right dose, at the right time, and with the right insulin injection technique.
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Article referenced source: Update.com
