What Is Insulin Glulisine Used For?

In adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, insulin glulisine is used for controlling blood sugar levels after meals. This medication is a rapid-acting insulin, which means that it works quickly, producing a sharp peak in insulin levels, and then dropping off quickly. By lowering blood sugar, insulin glulisine can help decrease the chances of developing problems associated with high blood sugar, such as heart disease and kidney failure.

 

What Is Insulin Glulisine Used For? -- An Overview

Insulin glulisine (Apidra®) is a form of insulin used to help control blood sugar levels in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. This medication is rapid-acting and is used to control blood sugar levels after meals. Alternatively, insulin glulisine can be used in an insulin pump.
 

Insulin Glulisine Uses for Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is sometimes called adult-onset diabetes or non-insulin-dependent diabetes. The condition is common -- much more common than type 1 diabetes. The cause of type 2 diabetes is not fully understood, although obesity and genetics are known to play important roles.
 
Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin, at least initially. The problem with type 2 diabetes is that the cells of the body do not respond to insulin as well as they normally should. As a result, the cells do not remove sugar (glucose) from the blood very well, resulting in high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia).
 
Over time, high blood sugar levels (whether from type 1 or type 2 diabetes) can lead to a number of problems, including diabetic impotence, diabetic neuropathy, kidney failure, and heart disease (see Diabetes Complications). Eventually, the pancreas may also become damaged from having to produce so much insulin over a long time. People with damage to the pancreas need to take insulin, as the pancreas can no longer produce enough of it.
 
Many people with type 2 diabetes may only need to use a long-acting insulin and may not need a rapid-acting insulin such as insulin glulisine. However, some people with advanced type 2 diabetes may also need to use a rapid-acting insulin to help control the sudden rise in blood sugar levels that occurs after meals.
 
A balanced treatment plan for type 2 diabetes should include a diet and exercise plan (see Diabetic Diet and Diabetes and Exercise). Discuss with your healthcare provider any dietary or exercise changes you should make.
 
(What Is Insulin Glulisine Used For? Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;