In diabetes, the body does not make enough insulin or properly use the insulin that is available. One way to deliver insulin is with an insulin pump, a device that is worn outside the body. The pump delivers rapid-acting insulin at specific times through a needle attached to a thin tube; a computer program runs the pump. There are several types of rapid-acting insulin that can be used in the pump. Rapid-acting insulins have faster onsets of action, quicker peaks of action and shorter durations than other types of insulin.
Insulin Aspart
The man-made insulin aspart, sold as NovaLog, starts lowering levels of blood glucose 15 minutes after injection, according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. The peak time--the time that the insulin is working the most to lower the levels glucose in the blood--is at 30 to 90 minutes. The duration of action of insulin aspart is 3 to 5 hours, after which the insulin will have little or no affect on blood sugar levels. For some patients, there may be some redness or irritation at the injection site; patients should let a physician know if this persists. Patients should also be aware of the symptoms of very high or low blood glucose levels while using any type of insulin.
Insulin Lispro
Insulin lispro, also known as Humalog, is another type of rapid-acting man-made insulin. The onset of action is 15 minutes, and the peak time of action is 30 to 90 minutes, as noted by the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. The duration of action is about 3 to 5 hours. Insulin lispro also may cause local skin reactions in some patients; there is a risk of very high or low blood sugar levels in patients with diabetes who take insulin.
Insulin Glulisine
Another type of synthetic rapid-acting insulin is insulin glulisine, also known as Apidra. This insulin has an onset of action of 15 minutes, a peak action time of about 30 to 90 minutes and duration of action of 3 to 5 hours, according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. Insulin glulisine can cause local reactions in some patients; patients should also be aware of the symptoms of extreme low or high blood glucose levels while taking this medication.
