An Introduction to Apidra Side Effects
As with any medicine, side effects are possible with
Apidra® (
insulin glulisine). However, not everyone who takes the drug will experience side effects. In fact, many people tolerate it quite well. If side effects do occur, they are often minor and either require no treatment or are easily treated by you or your healthcare provider.
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects with Apidra. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of Apidra side effects with you.)
Possible Side Effects With Apidra
Apidra has been studied thoroughly in clinical trials.
In these studies, the side effects that occurred in a group of people taking the drug were documented and then compared to the side effects that occurred in another group of people taking a different form of
insulin, usually
insulin lispro (
Humalog®).
While studies for most medications compare the medication to a placebo (a "sugar pill" that does not contain any active ingredients), this is not usually possible for
diabetes medication like Apidra. It would be unethical to give a placebo to people with
diabetes, as it is essential to keep blood sugar under control. This is why Apidra was compared to other insulins rather than to a placebo.
Possible side effects of Apidra (as well as all other forms of insulin) include:
- Low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia)
- Skin thickening or pitting at the site of the injection
- A skin reaction at the site of the injection.
