The use of insulin is imperative for treating type 1 diabetes and also a necessary part of treatment for many people with diabetes type 2. Insulin is used to keep blood sugar levels within an acceptable range and typically administered using a syringe or insulin pen, but can also be given through an insulin pump.

There are many types of insulin available. Each type is characterized by onset, peak, and duration. Onset refers to how quickly the insulin begins to work, peak is the time when the medicine is working it’s hardest and duration refers to how long the insulin will last. Some patients may require a combination of insulin types to keep their blood sugar levels within their target range.


Rapid-acting insulin has an onset of 15 minutes, peak of 30 to 90 minutes, and lasts about 3 to 5 hours. Generic and brand names include Insulin aspart, NovoLog, Insulin guising, Apidra, and Insulin lispro Humalog.

Short-acting insulin has an onset of 30 to 60 minutes, peak of 2 to 4 hours, and duration of 5 to 8 hours. The generic and brand names for short-acting insulin are Insulin regular, Humulin R, and Novolin R.

Intermediate-acting insulin’s onset is 1 to 3 hours, it peaks at 8 hours, and lasts about 12 to 16 hours. It’s generic and brand names are Insulin NPH human, Humulin N, and Novolin N.

Long-acting insulin has an onset of 1 hour, no clear peak time, and lasts about 20 to 26 hours. It’s generic and brand names include Insulin glargine, Lantus, Insulin detemir, and Levemir.

Some patients may need pre-mixed insulin to control their blood sugar levels. Your doctor can prescribe combinations of intermediate-acting and short or rapid acting insulin available in a single bottle or pen to control your diabetes.

Filed under: Diabetic Medications

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