Insulin

Insulin lispro

A rapid-acting insulin analogue taken just before or right after meals, or used in insulin pumps, for type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Drug card

Class: Insulin
How it works: Activating insulin receptors, so muscle and fat take up glucose
Used for: Type 1 diabetes (adults and children)
Type 2 diabetes
Diabetes in pregnancy (gestational diabetes)
Known for: Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)

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Mechanism of action

How does insulin lispro work?

Insulin lispro is human insulin with the proline at B28 and the lysine at B29 swapped. The swap lets it break apart quickly into single molecules (monomers) under the skin, so it is absorbed faster and acts sooner and for a shorter time than regular insulin, with the same potency molecule for molecule.

Like other insulins: Insulins bind insulin receptors, mainly on muscle and fat cells, which then take up more glucose from the blood. Insulin also stops the liver releasing glucose from stored glycogen, blocks the breakdown of fat and protein, builds protein, and moves potassium into cells. Preparations differ mainly in how fast they are absorbed and how long they act.

See its molecule in 3DPDB 1MSO

Uses

What is insulin lispro used for?

Type 1 diabetes (adults and children)
Type 2 diabetes
Diabetes in pregnancy (gestational diabetes)

Side effects

Side effects of insulin lispro

Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)Known forSerious
Fat lumps or hollows where injected (lipodystrophy)
Redness, itching or pain where injected
Itching
Rash
Weight gain
Swelling from fluid retention (edema)
Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)Serious
Low potassium (hypokalemia)Serious

Known for marks what an exam expects you to know it for.

Watch for

Cautions and what sets it apart

Inject it up to 15 minutes before a meal or straight after one; a dose without a meal risks hypoglycemia.
In a pump, a blocked set or pump failure can quickly lead to hyperglycemia and ketoacidosis.
Given IV only when diluted and supervised by medical staff, with glucose and potassium checks.

Good to know: Faster in and faster out than regular insulin, so it is timed closer to meals; it is also the usual kind of insulin in pumps.

Remember it

A way to remember it

Insulin opens the door for sugar and potassium.

Insulin moves both glucose and potassium into cells. Too much causes low blood sugar and low potassium, and the same effect is why IV insulin with glucose brings a dangerously high potassium down.

Written for biofideX

Its class

Insulins

Other insulins with a card:

Easily mixed up with sulfonylureas and GLP-1 receptor agonists.

All about insulins

Sources

Checked against

Written for biofideX in plain words, after checking these references:

For learning pharmacology, not for treatment decisions: no doses are given, and a prescriber, pharmacist or the product's own label is the word on any one patient. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we'll correct it.

Practice it

Diabetes

Insulin lispro is one of 14 drugs practiced together here: their classes, how they work, what they treat and what they're known for.

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