Insulin Glargine: Presentation, Uses, Mechanism of Action, Side Effects, Interactions and Administration

It is an analog of human insulin that is modified to provide a constant level of plasma insulin over a long duration.

Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies show that a single insulin glargine injection leads to a 24-hour mild time action profile without undesirable pronounced spikes in activity.

In clinical trials, this profile has been associated with at least equivalent, if not better, glycemic control than other traditional basal insulins and a significantly lower rate of general and nocturnal hypoglycemia.

The convenience of an injection once daily, the lack of need for resuspension (insulin glargine is a clear solution when injected), and lower rates of hypoglycemia should translate into improvements in patient treatment satisfaction.

Insulin glargine is a drug that should be used only under strict medical indication.

Presentation of insulin glargine

It comes as a self-injectable solution.

Insulin glargine is available as the brand-name drugs Lantus, Basaglar, and Toujeo. It is not available in a generic version.

Insulin glargine is an insulin that has a long-lasting effect. If you have type 1 diabetes, it should be used in combination with short-acting or rapid-acting insulin.

If you have type 2 diabetes, this drug can be used alone or with other medications.

What is insulin glargine used for?

This insulin is used to lower blood sugar levels in adults and children with type 1 diabetes.

Similarly, its use is indicated to lower blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes.

How it is produced

Insulin glargine is produced by recombinant DNA technology using a non-pathogenic laboratory strain of Escherichia coli (K12) as the production organism.

It is a human insulin analog made by replacing the asparagine residue at position A21 of the A chain with glycine and adding two arginines to the C-terminus (positions B31 and 32) of the B chain.

The resulting protein is soluble at pH 4 and forms micro-precipitates at physiological pH 7.4.

Small amounts of insulin glargine are slowly released from the microprecipitates, giving the drug long-lasting action (up to 24 hours) and not exhibiting a pronounced peak concentration.

How Insulin Glargine Works

Insulin glargine is in a class of medications called long-acting insulins.

A class of drugs is a group of drugs that work in a similar way. These drugs are often used to treat similar conditions.

Insulin glargine works by controlling how sugar is used and stored in your body. It increases the amount of sugar your muscles use, helps store sugar in fat, and prevents your liver from making sugar.

It also keeps fat and protein from breaking down, and helps your body make protein.

When there is a diabetes 1 condition, the pancreas is unable to produce insulin.

If you have type 2 diabetes, your pancreas may not make enough insulin, or your body may not be able to use the insulin it does make.

Insulin glargine replaces some of the insulin your body needs.

Side effects

Overuse of the drug, in the case of Lantus, can lead to low blood sugar, which can cause the following symptoms:

  • A cold.
  • Cold sweats
  • Blurry vision.
  • Dizziness or drowsiness
  • Seizures
  • Acceleration of the heartbeat.
  • Soft spot.
  • Tingling of the hands / feet.
  • Excess hunger

Not using enough medicine can cause high blood sugar, which can cause the following symptoms:

  • However.
  • Increased urination
  • Confusion.
  • Drowsiness or flushing
  • Fast breathing.
  • Smell of fruity breath.

Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms occur because your dose of Lantus may need to be changed.

Serious side effects of Lantus:

A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any of the following signs of a severe allergic reaction:

  • Eruption.
  • Itching or swelling (especially of the face, tongue, or throat).
  • Severe dizziness
  • Labored breathing

About side effects

There may be other side effects not included in this topic. If you have other effects, see your doctor.

Drug interactions

You should not use this medicine when any of the following list is being administered, unless strictly necessary, in which case the doctor will modify the dose:

  • Balofloxacina.
  • Besifloxacina.
  • Ciprofloxacin.
  • Fleroxacin.
  • Flumequina.
  • Gatifloxacina.
  • Gemifloxacina.
  • Lanreotide.
  • Levofloxacin
  • Lomefloxacina.
  • Metoclopramide.
  • Metreleptina
  • Nadifloxacina.
  • Norfloxacin.
  • Ofloxacin.
  • Pazufloxacin.
  • Pefloxacina.
  • Prulifloxacin.
  • Rosiglitazone.
  • Rufloxacin.
  • Esparfloxacina.
  • Thioctic acid.
  • Tosufloxacina.

Using this medication with any of the following medications may increase the risk of certain side effects, but using both medications may be the best treatment for you.

If both drugs are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both drugs.

  • Acebutolol.
  • Albiglutide.
  • Atenolol.
  • Betaxolol.
  • Bisoprolol.
  • Carteolol.
  • Carvedilol.
  • Celiprolol.
  • Esmolol.
  • Furazolidona.
  • Iproniazid.
  • Isocarboxazida.
  • Labetalol.
  • Levobunolol.
  • Linezolid.
  • Lixisenatida.
  • Methylene blue.
  • Metipranolol.
  • Metoprolol.
  • Moclobemida.
  • Nadolol.
  • Nebivolol.
  • Nialamida.
  • Oxprenolol.
  • Penbutolol
  • Fenelzina.
  • Pindolol.
  • Procarbazine.
  • Propranolol.
  • Rasagilina.
  • Safinamida.
  • Selegilina.
  • Sotalol.
  • Timolol.

Insulin glargine dosage

The recommended starting dose of Lantus (insulin glargine) in patients with type 2 diabetes not currently treated with insulin is 0.2 units / kg or up to 10 units once daily, adjusted to the appropriate FPG goal for the patient.

The amount and timing of short-acting or rapid-acting insulins and any doses of oral antidiabetics may need to be adjusted.

Patients with DM1: Start Lantus at an appropriate dose for each patient.

The recommended starting dose of Lantus should be approximately 1/3 of the total daily insulin requirement.

Lantus must be used with a short-acting insulin.

Other dosing information

  • Individualize and adjust the dose of Lantus based on the person’s metabolic needs, blood glucose monitoring results, and glycemic control goal.
  • Give Lantus subcutaneously once a day at any time of the day, but at the same time every day.
  • Conversion from other insulin therapies may require adjustment of the Lantus dose and timing.
  • Monitor glucose values ​​closely, especially when converting to Lantus and for the initial weeks afterward.
  • Dose adjustments may be necessary with changes in physical activity, changes in eating patterns, during acute illness, or changes in kidney or liver function.