Fears Insulin
"The thought of insulin scares me. Needles are painful."
- Fears Insulin

Adding basal insulin to OADs may significantly lower A1C.1

You may want to have the insulin talk sooner

Adding basal insulin to OADs may significantly lower A1C.1

Insulin is an effective treatment option to help patients with T2DM gain control of their blood glucose. A successful start to insulin therapy, which may include OADs along with healthy lifestyle changes, can begin when you eliminate misperceptions about insulin.

Six things you should communicate to your patients.

  1. Insulin is a commitment – Inform patients that adherence to insulin, like all prescription medications, is very important. They should take it as prescribed.
  2. Insulin that is injected is intended to mimic the insulin that the body naturally produces – Make patients aware that the human body normally produces enough insulin in order to allow blood sugar from foods we eat to enter into the cell and provide the cells with energy.
  3. Insulin is an effective treatment option for improving glycemic control – Advise patients that blood glucose may rise over time and that insulin can help lower A1C.2
  4. Blood glucose control is important – Encourage patients to get their blood glucose under control.
  5. Insulin technology is changing – Reassure patients that today’s insulin needles are quite small, and many types of insulin come in easy-to-use pens that can be dosed and injected discreetly.
  6. Benefits/ Risks – Insulin is effective at lowering blood glucose, but like all medications, may cause side effects. Inform patients of the potential side effects of insulin and educate them about how to manage them.
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Important Safety Information for Lantus®

Contraindications

Lantus® is contraindicated in patients hypersensitive to insulin glargine or one of its excipients.

Warnings and precautions

Monitor blood glucose in all patients treated with insulin. Insulin regimens should be modified cautiously and only under medical supervision. Changes in insulin strength, manufacturer, type, or method of administration may result in the need for a change in insulin dose or an adjustment in concomitant oral antidiabetic treatment.

Do not dilute or mix Lantus® with any other insulin or solution. If mixed or diluted, the solution may become cloudy, and the onset of action/time to peak effect may be altered in an unpredictable manner. Do not administer Lantus® via an insulin pump or intravenously because severe hypoglycemia can occur. Insulin devices and needles must not be shared between patients.

Hypoglycemia is the most common adverse reaction of insulin therapy, including Lantus®, and may be life-threatening.

Severe life-threatening, generalized allergy, including anaphylaxis, can occur.

A reduction in the Lantus® dose may be required in patients with renal or hepatic impairment.

Drug interactions

Certain drugs may affect glucose metabolism, requiring insulin dose adjustment and close monitoring of blood glucose. The signs of hypoglycemia may be reduced in patients taking anti-adrenergic drugs (e.g., beta-blockers, clonidine, guanethidine, and reserpine).

Adverse reactions

Other adverse reactions commonly associated with Lantus® are injection site reaction, lipodystrophy, pruritus, and rash.

Important Safety Information for Lantus® SoloSTAR®

Lantus® SoloSTAR® is a disposable prefilled insulin pen. To help ensure an accurate dose each time, patients should follow all steps in the Instruction Leaflet accompanying the pen; otherwise they may not get the correct amount of insulin, which may affect their blood glucose.

Indications and Usage for Lantus®

Lantus® is a long-acting insulin analog indicated to improve glycemic control in adults and children (6 years and older) with type 1 diabetes mellitus and in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Lantus® should be administered once a day at the same time every day.

Important Limitations of Use: Lantus® is not recommended for the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis. Use intravenous short-acting insulin instead.

Please click here for full prescribing information

References: 1. Nathan DM et al. Diabetes Care. 2009;32(1):193-203.
2. Nathan DM. N Engl J Med. 2002;347(17):1342-1349.