Insulin degludec (subcutaneous route)
Available brands
Tresiba
About this medication
Insulin degludec is a long-acting type of insulin that works slowly, over about 24 hours. 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. This causes you to have too much sugar in your blood. Like other types of insulin, insulin degludec is used to keep your blood sugar level close to normal. This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription. This product is available in the following dosage forms:
Before using this medication
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 this medicine, the following should be considered: Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine 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. Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of insulin degludec injection in children 1 year of age and older. However, safety and efficacy have not been established in children younger than 1 year of age. Appropriate studies on the relationship of age to the effects of insulin degludec injection have not been performed in the geriatric population, no geriatric-specific problems have been documented to date. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related hypoglycemia, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving insulin degludec. 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. 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 this medicine, 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 this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive. Using this medicine with any of the following is usually not recommended, but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco. The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
How to use this medication
When you start using this medicine, it is very important that you check your blood sugar often, especially before and after meals and at bedtime. This will help lower the chance of having very low blood sugar. A nurse or other trained health professional may give you this medicine. You may also be taught how to give your medicine at home. This medicine is given as a shot under your skin. Always double-check both the concentration (strength) of your insulinandyour dose.Concentration and dose are not the same.The dose is how many units of insulin you will use. The concentration tells how many units of insulin are in each milliliter (mL), such as 100 units/mL (U-100), but this does not mean you will use 100 units at a time. This medicine comes with a patient information leaflet and patient instructions. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions. Each package of insulin degludec contains a patient information sheet. Read this sheet carefully and make sure you understand: This medicine is given as a shot under the skin of your stomach, upper arm, or thighs. Use a different body area each time you give yourself a shot. Keep track of where you give each shot to make sure you rotate body areas. This will help prevent skin problems from the injections. Since insulin degludec lowers the blood glucose over 24 hours, it is best to use it at about the same time every day. Check the liquid in the FlexTouch® pen or vial. It should be clear and colorless. Do not use it if it looks cloudy, thick, or discolored, or if it has particles in it. Use a new needle for the prefilled pen each time you give yourself an injection. Always remove and throw the needle after each injection from the pen. Store it without a needle attached. Follow carefully the special meal plan your doctor gave you. This is the most important part of controlling your condition, and is necessary if the medicine is to work properly. Also, exercise regularly and test for sugar in your blood or urine as directed. The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so. The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine. If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses. If you missed a dose, make sure that there are at least 8 hours between doses. Keep out of the reach of children. Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use. Unopened prefilled pen or vial: Store in the refrigerator. You may also store the medicine at room temperature for 56 days. Protect from light. Do not freeze. Do not use the medicine if it has been frozen. Opened prefilled pen or vial: Store in the refrigerator. You may store the medicine at room temperature, away from direct heat and light. Use within 56 days. Throw away any opened pen or vial away after 56 days, even if there is still insulin in it. Throw away used needles in a hard, closed container that the needles cannot poke through. Keep this container away from children and pets.
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