An overview on the insulin preparations and devices

Abstract

Insulin preparations are the mainstay in the management of type 1 along with various type 2 diabetes. Available insulin preparations are either short-acting or long-acting or mixture to mimic the physiological insulin secretion and their doses need to be individualized. Attempting to imitate normal secretion of insulin can be valuable paradigm for understanding and providing effective therapy. This review provides an outline about the composition, use, route of administration, injection site, pharmacokinetics, storage and handling of various insulin preparations. The efficacy and safety of various insulin preparations for the management of diabetes mellitus are discussed. In addition, the use and application of various insulin devices to improve adherence and provide optimum delivery are elaborated. Indeed, the patient awareness and adherence on these issues is crucial to achieve good glycemic control.