NovoLog
® (
insulin aspart) is a prescription form of insulin used to treat
type 1 diabetes and
type 2 diabetes. It is a rapid-acting insulin, used to help control the spike in blood sugar that occurs after meals. It is typically used in combination with a long-acting insulin. NovoLog can also be used in an insulin pump and can be given intravenously (by IV).
It is manufactured by Novo Nordisk, Inc.
NovoLog is a form of insulin, which is a hormone that is naturally produced by the
pancreas. This hormone is important for several functions, such as controlling blood sugar. Insulin helps the cells of your body remove glucose ("sugar") from your bloodstream. This sugar fuels your body's cells, giving them the energy they need to work properly. You may need to take insulin if your pancreas has trouble making enough insulin, which is the case in people with type 1
diabetes and in some people who have type 2 diabetes.
Normally, your body is able to maintain proper levels of sugar in your blood and inside your cells. However, in people with type 1 diabetes (and sometimes type 2 diabetes), the pancreas has trouble making insulin. This causes too much sugar to accumulate in the blood. Too much sugar can also accumulate in the blood if your body has trouble responding to normal levels of insulin, as is common in type 2 diabetes. Over time, high levels of sugar in the blood can lead to serious health problems in the eyes, feet, hands, kidneys, and heart.
NovoLog is a rapid-acting insulin medication. It starts working quickly, produces a sharp peak in insulin levels, and drops off quickly. It is designed to help control the blood sugar spike that occurs after meals. Most people who take NovoLog will also need a long-acting insulin in addition to NovoLog to provide a steady background level of insulin to help control blood sugar throughout the day.
When and How to Take NovoLog
General considerations for when and how to take the medication include the following:
- This diabetes medication comes in injectable form. It is injected just under the skin (subcutaneously) immediately before a meal (within 5 or 10 minutes before you start eating). Alternatively, it can be used in an insulin pump or can be given by IV.
- Your healthcare provider should show you exactly how to inject NovoLog. It can be injected into the skin and fat layer of the abdomen (stomach), upper arm, or thigh. Choose one of these three areas, and rotate injection sites within your chosen area.
- NovoLog comes in vials, cartridges (for use in certain pen devices) and in the FlexPen®. To use the pen devices, you will need specific types of needles known as "pen needles." Each time you inject NovoLog, you need to use a new needle. To use NovoLog from the vial, you will need insulin syringes (with needles).
- Because the medicine is a solution, not a suspension, you don't need to shake or swirl it.
- Check with your healthcare provider before mixing NovoLog with any other insulins in the same syringe. If you do mix it with other insulins, be sure to draw up NovoLog into the syringe first (and the other insulin second).
- For this diabetes drug to work properly, it must be taken as prescribed. It will not work if you stop taking it. Make sure to monitor your blood sugar levels as your healthcare provider recommends.
The dosage that your healthcare provider recommends will vary, depending on a number of factors, including:
- The carbohydrate content of your meals
- How you respond to NovoLog (especially as measured by your blood sugar levels)
- Your current dose of other insulins
- Other medications you are taking
- Other medical conditions you may have.
As is always the case with any medication, do not adjust your dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
As with any medicine, side effects are possible with NovoLog. However, not everyone who uses the medication will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate it quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or can easily be treated by you or your healthcare provider. Serious side effects are less common.
Possible side effects of NovoLog (as well as all other forms of insulin) include, but are not limited to:
- Low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia)
- A skin reaction at the injection site
- Thickening or pitting of the skin at the injection site.
(Click NovoLog Side Effects to learn more, including potentially serious side effects you should report immediately to your healthcare provider.)
Drug Interactions With NovoLog
What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider?
Talk with your healthcare provider prior to taking this medication if you have:
- Liver disease, such as liver failure, cirrhosis, or hepatitis
- Kidney disease, such as kidney failure (renal failure)
- Any allergies, including allergies to foods, dyes, or preservatives.
Also, let your healthcare provider know if you are:
Make sure to tell your healthcare provider about any other medications you are taking, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
What If I Take an Overdose of NovoLog?
People who take too much NovoLog (or any other insulin) may experience symptoms such as:
- Low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia)
- Fainting
- Shakiness
- A fast heartbeat (tachycardia)
- Confusion
- Sweating
- Seizures
- Coma
- Loss of life.
If you happen to take too much, seek immediate medical attention.
Unopened NovoLog vials, cartridges, and pens should be stored in the refrigerator. It is best to keep the vials refrigerated once they are opened, although they may be kept at room temperature (less than 86 degrees Fahrenheit). Once you start using a NovoLog cartridge or NovoLog FlexPen, you must not keep it in the refrigerator (it must be kept at room temperature). All forms of NovoLog are good for up to 28 days once opened, after which you must discard any unused portion.
If you use the medication in an insulin pump, you must discard any unused portion in the pump, along with the infusion set (the reservoir, tubing, and catheter) within 48 hours. IV bags with NovoLog must be discarded after 24 hours.
NovoLog is available in the following forms:
- NovoLog vials -- 10 mL, with 100 units of insulin per mL
- NovoLog PenFill® cartridge (for use with certain pen devices) -- 3 mL per cartridge, with 100 units of insulin per mL
- NovoLog FlexPen -- 3 mL, with 100 units of insulin per mL.
The PenFill cartridges are meant for use in certain refillable pen devices. The FlexPen comes with NovoLog inside and is not refillable.
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