Insulin glulisine (Subcutaneous)

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jan 26, 2022.

Commonly used brand name(s)

In the U.S.

• Apidra

Pharmacologic Class: Insulin, Ultra Rapid Acting

Uses for insulin glulisine

Insulin glulisine is a fast-acting type of insulin. Insulin is one of many hormones that help the body turn the food we eat into energy. This is done by using the glucose (sugar) in the blood as quick energy. Also, insulin helps us store energy that we can use later. When you have diabetes mellitus, your body cannot make enough insulin or does not use insulin properly. So, you must take additional insulin to regulate your blood sugar and keep your body healthy. This is very important as too much sugar in the blood can be harmful to your health.

Insulin glulisine starts to work faster than some other types of insulin, and its effects do not last as long. It should act more like the insulin your body would normally produce. Because the effects of insulin glulisine are short-acting, your doctor may also prescribe a longer-acting insulin for you to use.

Insulin glulisine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Before using insulin glulisine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For insulin glulisine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to insulin glulisine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of insulin glulisine in children 4 years of age and older with type 1 diabetes. However, safety and efficacy of Apidra® have not been established in children younger than 4 years of age with type 1 diabetes and in children with type 2 diabetes.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of insulin glulisine in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have unwanted effects, which may require caution in patients receiving insulin glulisine. .

Breastfeeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking insulin glulisine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using insulin glulisine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. ...