Perceives Failure
"If I'm put on insulin, I must be doing something wrong."
- Perceives Failure

In one study, 46% of patients misinterpreted dosage in instructions.6a

You may want to have the insulin talk sooner

Strategy to Help You Succeed #1 – Proactive Diabetes Management

Enhance Understanding Through Education



In a study 46% of patients misinterpreted dosage in instructions.6a

To help your patients better comprehend dosage instructions, consider the following tips:7

  • Avoid complicated language
  • Use visual aids such as pictures or videos
  • Simplify explanations and instructions – and repeat them
  • Use a "show me" approach to confirm understanding

You may benefit from Certified Diabetes Educators (CDEs). These specialists are certified to teach patients about diabetes. They can spend valuable time with newly diagnosed patients to educate them further about their disease and their treatment plan.

Opportunity to impact patient perceptions of insulin.

Reassure patients

Turn the negative mindset of failure into a positive opportunity to help control A1C with an effective medication.1 Redirect patients engaged in self-blame into understanding that it may not be entirely their fault, that their pancreas is no longer making enough insulin.2 You may help alleviate patients' reluctance to add insulin by helping them understand the facts.

Patient discussion points

  • Let patients know they are not alone. Based on data from 2003-2004, about 40% of people with diabetes on OADs were not at A1C goal of <7%3
  • Encourage patients: insulin may be worth the effort because controlling blood glucose is important
  • Inform patients that adding insulin to an overall diabetes treatment plan earlier in the course of the disease may be necessary to help control blood glucose levels4

Begin insulin therapy for your appropriate patients

Help patients focus on proactive management of their disease and the importance of controlling blood glucose. Introduce insulin as a part of their overall treatment program that includes diet, exercise, and oral medications.

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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

a.Insulin was not evaluated as a medication

References: 1. Nathan DM et al. Diabetes Care. 2009;32(1):193-203.
2. Polonsky WH, Jackson RA. Clin Diabetes. 2004;22(3):147-150.
3. Hoerger TJ, Segel JE, Gregg EW, Saaddine JB. Diabetes Care. 2008;31(1):81-86.
4. AACE Diabetes Mellitus Clinical Practice Guidelines Task Force. Endocr Pract. 2007;13
(suppl 1):4-68.
5. Nathan DM. N Engl J Med. 2002;347(17):1342-1349.
6. Wolf MS et al. Patient Educ Couns. 2007;67(3):293-300.
7. Weiss BD. Health Literacy and Patient Safety: Help Patients Understand: Manual for Clinicians. 2nd ed. American Medical Association Foundation and American Medical Association. 2007.