Lantus Dosage

Generally, Lantus is injected into the skin and fat layer of the stomach, upper arm, or thigh once daily. For treating type 2 diabetes in people who are not currently using any insulin, the starting Lantus dosage is typically 10 units once daily. However, the Lantus dose will vary depending on other medical conditions you have, other medications you are taking, and your response to Lantus.

 

Lantus Dosage: An Introduction

The dose of Lantus® (insulin glargine) your healthcare provider recommends will vary, depending on a number of factors, including:
 
  • Your current dose of other insulins
  • How you respond to Lantus (especially as measured by your blood sugar levels)
  • Other medications you are taking, including other diabetes medications
  • Other medical conditions you may have.
     
As is always the case, do not adjust your dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
 

What Is a "Unit" of Lantus?

In order to understand the dosing of Lantus and other insulin medications, it is important to understand what exactly a "unit" of insulin means. There are different types of insulin; however, a single unit of insulin should have the same biological activity, no matter what type of insulin you use, as all insulins are compared to a single standard.
 

Lantus Dosing Guidelines

Lantus is taken once daily.
 Although it does not matter when you take the medication, you should take it consistently at the same time each day.
 
If you are using Lantus to replace another long-acting (once- or twice-daily) insulin, a unit-for-unit dose conversion will usually work fine. In other words, if you currently take 20 units of a long-acting insulin per day, your Lantus dosage would be 20 units once daily or 10 units twice daily. In some cases (such as when switching from a twice-daily insulin to Lantus), a slightly lower Lantus dose may be recommended. Some dose adjustment may be necessary, based on how you react to Lantus.
 
For people with type 2 diabetes, if you are not currently using any insulin, Lantus is usually started at 10 units once daily.
 
Your healthcare provider will use your response to the starting Lantus dosage (as measured by your blood sugar levels) to recommend any dose changes.
 
(Lantus Dosage Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;