Insulin Aspart (rDNA Origin) Injection
Insulin aspart is used to treat type 1 diabetes (condition in which the body does not produce insulin and therefore cannot control the amount of sugar in the blood) in adults and children. It is also used to treat people with type 2 diabetes (condition in which the body does not use insulin normally and therefore cannot control the amount of sugar in the blood) who need insulin to control their diabetes. In patients with type 1 diabetes, insulin aspart is usually used with another type of insulin, unless it is used in an external insulin pump. In patients with type 2 diabetes, insulin aspart also may be used with another type of insulin or with oral medication(s) for diabetes. Insulin aspart is a short-acting, manmade version of human insulin. Insulin aspart works by replacing the insulin that is normally produced by the body and by helping move sugar from the blood into other body tissues where it is used for energy. It also stops the liver from producing more sugar.
Over time, people who have diabetes and high blood sugar can develop serious or life-threatening complications, including heart disease, stroke, kidney problems, nerve damage, and eye problems. Using medication(s), making lifestyle changes (e.g., diet, exercise, quitting smoking), and regularly checking your blood sugar may help to manage your diabetes and improve your health. This therapy may also decrease your chances of having a heart attack, stroke, or other diabetes-related complications such as kidney failure, nerve damage (numb, cold legs or feet; decreased sexual ability in men and women), eye problems, including changes or loss of vision, or gum disease. Your doctor and other healthcare providers will talk to you about the best way to manage your diabetes.
🔔 How should this medicine be used?
Insulin aspart comes as a solution (liquid; Fiasp, NovoLog) and a suspension (liquid with particles that will settle on standing; NovoLog Mix 70/30) to inject subcutaneously (under the skin). Insulin aspart solution (NovoLog) is usually injected 5–10 minutes before eating a meal. If you are using insulin aspart suspension (NovoLog Mix 70/30) to treat type 1 diabetes, it is usually injected within 15 minutes before a meal. If you are using insulin aspart suspension to treat type 2 diabetes, it is usually injected within 15 minutes before or after a meal. Insulin aspart solution (Fiasp) is usually injected at the start of a meal or within 20 minutes after starting a meal. Your doctor will tell you how many times you should inject insulin aspart each day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Use insulin aspart exactly as directed. Do not use more or less of it or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Insulin aspart solution (Fiasp, NovoLog) may also be injected intravenously (into a vein) by a doctor or nurse in a healthcare setting. A doctor or nurse will carefully monitor you for side effects.
Never use insulin aspart when you have symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or if you have checked your blood sugar and found it to be low.
Insulin aspart controls diabetes but does not cure it. Continue to use insulin aspart even if you feel well. Do not stop using insulin aspart without talking to your doctor. Do not switch to another brand or type of insulin or change the dose of any type of insulin you are using without talking to your doctor. Always check the insulin label to make sure you received the right type of insulin from the pharmacy.
Even with health insurance, patients in the U. S. have a hard time affording their medical care. About one in five working-age Americans with health insurance, and more than half of those without health insurance, reported having trouble paying their medical bills in the last year, according to S. News & World Report.
Insulin aspart comes in vials, cartridges that contain medication and are to be placed in dosing pens, and dosing pens that contain cartridges of medication. Be sure you know what type of container your insulin aspart comes in and what other supplies, such as needles, syringes, or pens, you will need to inject your medication.
If your insulin aspart comes in vials, you will need to use syringes to inject your dose. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to show you how to inject insulin aspart using a syringe. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about the type of syringe you should use.
If your insulin aspart comes in cartridges, you will need to buy an insulin pen separately. Check the manufacturer’s information for the patient to see what type of pen is right for the cartridge size you are using. Carefully read the instructions that come with your pen, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to show you how to use it. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about the type of pen you should use.
If your insulin aspart comes in pens, be sure to read and understand the manufacturer’s instructions. If you are blind or have poor eyesight, do not use this pen without help. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to show you how to use the pen. Follow the directions carefully, and always prime the pen before use.
Never reuse needles or syringes and never share needles, syringes, cartridges, or pens. If you are using an insulin pen, always remove the needle right after you inject your dose. Discard needles and syringes in a puncture-resistant container. Ask your doctor or pharmacist how to dispose of the puncture-resistant container.
Your doctor may tell you to mix your insulin aspart solution with another type of insulin (NPH insulin) in the same syringe. Your doctor will tell you exactly how to do this. Always draw insulin aspart into the syringe first, always use the same brand of syringe, and always inject the insulin immediately after mixing. Insulin aspart solution should not be mixed with insulin preparations other than NPH insulin. Insulin aspart suspension should not be mixed with any other insulin preparations.
Your doctor may tell you to dilute insulin aspart before injection to allow easier measurement of your dose. Your doctor will tell you exactly how to do this.
You can inject your insulin aspart in your thighs, stomach, upper arms, or buttocks. Never inject insulin aspart into a muscle. Change (rotate) the injection site within the chosen area with each dose; try to avoid injecting the same site more often than once every 1–2 weeks. Do not inject where the skin is thick, lumpy, tender, bruised, scaly, hard, or into areas of skin where there are scars or skin is damaged.
Always look at your insulin aspart before you inject it. If you are using insulin aspart solution, the insulin should be clear and colorless. Do not use this type of insulin aspart if it is colored, cloudy, thickened, or contains solid particles. If you are using insulin aspart suspension, the insulin should appear cloudy or milky after you mix it. Do not use this type of insulin if there are clumps in the liquid or if there are solid white particles sticking to the bottom or walls of the bottle. Do not use any type of insulin after the expiration date printed on the bottle has passed.
Insulin aspart suspension must be rolled gently between your hands to mix before use. Do not shake insulin aspart suspension. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if the type of insulin you are using should be mixed and how you should mix it if necessary.
Insulin aspart solution also can be used with an external insulin pump. Before using insulin aspart in a pump system, read the pump label to make sure the pump can be used for continuous delivery of fast-acting insulin. Read the pump manual for recommended reservoir and tubing sets, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to show you how to use the insulin pump. Do not dilute insulin aspart or mix it with any other type of insulin when using it in an external insulin pump. When using insulin aspart with an external insulin pump, replace the insulin in the reservoir at least every 6 days (Fiasp), at least every 7 days (Novolog), or according to the pump manual, whichever is shorter. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about when you should change the infusion set and infusion set insertion site. If the infusion site is red, itchy, or thickened, tell your doctor and use a different infusion site.
When using insulin apart solution in an external insulin pump, high blood sugar may occur quickly if the pump stops working properly or if the insulin in the pump reservoir is exposed to direct sunlight or temperatures greater than 98.6°F (37°C). High blood sugar may also occur if the tubing leaks or becomes blocked, disconnected, or kinks. If the problem cannot be found quickly and corrected, call your doctor right away. You may need to temporarily use insulin by subcutaneous injection (using syringes or an insulin pen). Make sure you have back-up insulin and any necessary supplies on hand, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to show you how to use them.
Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient.
