Humalog - Humalog (Human Analog)

Humalog

Humalog
eMedTV.com
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD, Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;

Humalog is a prescription medication approved to treat type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The insulin, which is injected within 15 minutes before or after meals, is designed to help control the blood sugar spike that occurs after meals. Potential side effects of Humalog include low blood sugar, skin reaction at the injection site, and thickening or pitting of the skin at the injection site.

What Is Humalog?
Humalog? (insulin lispro) is a prescription form of insulin used to treat type 1 and type 2 diabetes. It is a rapid-acting insulin, used to help control the spike in blood sugar that occurs after meals. It is typically used in combination with a long-acting insulin. The medication can also be used in an insulin pump.

This article refers to plain Humalog. Humalog is also available in combination with an intermediate-acting insulin (Humalog Mix75/25? and Humalog Mix50/50?).

Who Makes It?
Humalog is manufactured by Eli Lilly and Company.

Effects of Humalog
Studies have shown that Humalog worked as well as regular human insulin.
People with type 1 diabetes taking the drug may have a lower chance of nighttime hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), compared to those taking regular human insulin.

How Does It Work?
Humalog is a form of insulin, which is a hormone that is naturally produced by the pancreas. This hormone is important for several functions, such as controlling blood sugar. Insulin helps the cells of your body remove glucose ("sugar") from your bloodstream. This sugar fuels your body's cells, giving them the energy they need to work properly. You may need to take insulin if your pancreas has trouble making enough insulin, which is the case in people with type 1 diabetes and in some people who have type 2 diabetes.

Normally, your body is able to maintain proper levels of sugar in your blood and inside your cells. However, in people with type 1 diabetes (and sometimes type 2 diabetes), the pancreas has trouble making insulin. This causes too much sugar to accumulate in the blood. Too much sugar can also accumulate in the blood if your body has trouble responding to normal levels of insulin, as is common in type 2 diabetes. Over time, high levels of sugar in the blood can lead to serious health problems in the eyes, feet, hands, kidneys, and heart.

Humalog is a rapid-acting insulin medication. It starts working quickly, produces a sharp peak in insulin levels, and drops off quickly. It is designed to help control the blood sugar spike that occurs after meals. Most people who take the drug will also need a long-acting insulin to provide a steady background level of insulin to help control blood sugar throughout the day.

When and How to Take Humalog
General considerations for when and how to take Humalog include the following:
* This diabetes medication comes in injectable form. It is injected just under the skin (subcutaneously) within 15 minutes before or after a meal. Alternatively, Humalog can be used in an insulin pump.

* Your healthcare provider should show you exactly how to inject the drug. It can be injected into the skin and fat layer of the abdomen (stomach), upper arm, or thigh. Choose one of these three areas, and rotate injection sites within your chosen area.

* Humalog comes in vials and in cartridges (for use in certain pen devices). To use the pen device, you will need specific types of needles known as "pen needles." Each time you inject the drug, you need to use a new needle. To use it from the vial, you will need insulin syringes with needles.

* Because Humalog is a solution, not a suspension, you don't need to shake or swirl it.

* Check with your healthcare provider before mixing Humalog with any other insulins in the same syringe. If you do mix it with other insulins, be sure to draw up Humalog into the syringe first and the other insulin second.

* For this diabetes drug to work properly, it must be taken as prescribed. Humalog will not work if you stop taking it. Make sure to monitor your blood sugar levels as your healthcare provider recommends.

Dosing Information
The dose of Humalog your healthcare provider recommends will vary, depending on a number of factors, including:
* The carbohydrate content of your meals
* Your current dose of other insulins
* How you respond to the drug (especially as measured by your blood sugar levels)
* Other medications you are taking
* Other medical conditions you may have.

As is always the case, do not adjust your dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.

(Click Humalog Dosage for more information.)

Side Effects of Humalog
As with any medicine, side effects are possible with Humalog. However, not everyone who uses the medication will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate it quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or can easily be treated by you or your healthcare provider. Serious side effects are less common.

Possible side effects (shared with all other forms of insulin) include but are not limited to:
* Low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia)
* A skin reaction at the injection site
* Thickening or pitting of the skin at the injection site.


(Click Humalog Side Effects to learn more, including potentially serious side effects you should report immediately to your healthcare provider.)


What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider?
Talk with your healthcare provider prior to taking Humalog if you have:
* Liver disease, such as liver failure, cirrhosis, or hepatitis
* Kidney disease, such as kidney failure (renal failure)
* Any allergies, including allergies to foods, dyes, or preservatives.


Also, let your healthcare provider know if you are:
* Pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant (see Humalog and Pregnancy)
* Breastfeeding (see Humalog and Breastfeeding).

Make sure to tell your healthcare provider about any other medications you are taking, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

(Click Humalog Warnings and Precautions to learn more, including information on who should not take the drug.)

What If I Take an Overdose?
People who take too much Humalog (or any other insulin) may experience symptoms such as:
* Low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia)
* Fainting
* Shakiness
* A fast heartbeat (tachycardia)
* Confusion
* Sweating
* Seizures
* Coma
* Loss of life.

If you happen to take too much, seek immediate medical attention.

How Should Humalog Be Stored?
Unopened Humalog vials and cartridges should be stored in the refrigerator. It is best to keep the vials refrigerated once they are opened, although they may be kept at room temperature (less than 77 degrees Fahrenheit). Once you start using a cartridge, you must not keep it in the refrigerator; it must be kept at room temperature. Both forms of Humalog are good for up to 28 days once opened, after which you must discard any unused portion.

If you use the medication in an insulin pump, you must discard any unused portion, along with the infusion set (the reservoir, tubing, and catheter) within 48 hours.

Available Strengths
Humalog is available in the following forms:
* Humalog vials -- 10 mL, with 100 units of insulin per mL
* Humalog cartridge (for use with a pen device) -- 3 mL per cartridge, with 100 units of insulin per mL.


Generic Humalog
At this time, Humalog is not available in generic form (see Generic Humalog).

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