Box 1.
Summary of types of insulins
| Type of insulin | Summary of properties | Examples (not exhaustive) |
|---|---|---|
| Short-acting insulins | Rapid onset but short duration of action suitable for injectionbefore meals; analogues (insulin aspart, insulin glulisine, insulin lispro)have faster onset and shorter duration than soluble insulin | Analogues |
| Apidra | ||
| Humalog | ||
| NovoRapid | ||
| Soluble human insulin | ||
| Actrapid | ||
| Humulin S | ||
| Insuman Rapid | ||
| Premixed insulins(biphasic insulins) | Combination of insulins with complementary durations ofaction – e.g. a short-acting (soluble insulin, insulin aspart,insulin lispro) plus an intermediate-acting insulin(aspart or lispro protamine insulin, protamine insulin) | Humalog Mix25, Mix50 |
| Humulin M3 | ||
| Insuman Comb 15, 25, 50 | ||
| Mixtard30 | ||
| NovoMix30 | ||
| Basal and NPH insulins | Basal insulins have a prolonged duration of action for onceor twice daily injection (insulin detemir, insulin glargine,insulin zinc suspension, protamine zinc suspension) | Hypurin Bovine Lente, |
| Hypurin Bovine Protamine Zinc | ||
| Lantus | ||
| Levemir | ||
| NPH insulins are a complex of bovine or porcine insulin,or human insulin, with protamine; intermediate duration of action | Humulin I | |
| Insulatard | ||
| Insuman basal |
NPH, isophane insulin.