An Overview of Insulin Lispro Uses
Insulin lispro (
Humalog®) is a form of
insulin used to help control blood sugar in people with type 1 and
type 2 diabetes. This medication is rapid-acting and is used to control blood sugar after meals. Alternatively, insulin lispro can be used in an
insulin pump. Insulin lispro is designed to start working more quickly and has a shorter duration of action when compared to regular human insulin.
This article refers to plain insulin lispro. Insulin lispro is also available in combination with an intermediate-acting insulin (
Humalog Mix75/25® and
Humalog Mix50/50®).
Why Is Insulin Lispro Used for Type 1 Diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes usually begins in young children and teenagers, although this is not always the case. People with this type of
diabetes have a
pancreas that produces little or no insulin. This means that such people need to have insulin on a regular basis to help keep their blood sugar at the right level.
In healthy people without diabetes, insulin levels do not stay the same throughout the day; instead, they fluctuate in response to changes in blood sugar levels. In order to mimic the natural insulin changes that help keep blood sugar safely controlled, many healthcare providers recommend "basal-bolus" insulin regimens. These regimens often involve a longer-acting insulin to provide a basal insulin level (a relatively steady background level of insulin throughout the day). A rapid-acting insulin such as insulin lispro is added to provide the bolus (a quick, fast-acting, short-lived dose of insulin) to handle the sudden rise in blood sugar levels that follows each meal.
If you use insulin lispro in an insulin pump, you do not need to take a long-acting insulin.
