Description
Christopher J. Hedger COP, PharmD "The Different Roles of Insulin in Diabetes" To begin, it is important to understand the pathophysiology of diabetes and why it occurs. There are two types of Diabetes Mellitus, and that is Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 is associated with a deficiency in insulin secretion, whereas Type 2 is associated with insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is characterized by the cell's inability to bind or uptake insulin easily. This is why treatment with insulin is important in Type 1 and late Type 2 diabetes. This brings us into the different types of insulin, varying by how quickly they act, and how long they last. Humalog 50/50 Kwikpen consists of half insulin lispro, and half insulin lispro protamine. Insulin lispro is a short acting insulin mainly used to help control blood glucose levels after a meal, wheras the insulin lispro protamine is more intermediate acting and will better control basal blood glucose levels. This pen is formulated to combine the effects of a short acting insulin with an intermediate acting insulin as well. This combination simplifies the dosing burden on the diabetic patient.
