Guide to Insulin Duration
Insulin is a hormone that works by lowering levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood. There are many types of insulin now available each with their own unique action and they are not interchangeable. There are three characteristics that define how insulin medication function:
1. Onset: How long it takes for the insulin to start lowering blood glucose2. Peak time: Time after administration when the insulin is the most effective at lowering blood glucose
3. Duration: How long the insulin keeps lowering blood glucose
The chart and graph below will help you understand how the various insulin medications work.
Please note: These lists are for reference and educational use only. Pedagogy does not recommend the use of any product or product manufacturer.
Guide to Insulin Duration
| ONSET | PEAK | DURATION | |
| RAPID ACTING: | |||
| Insulin Lispro (Humalog) | 15 - 30 min | ½ - 2 ½ hr. | 3 - 6 hr. |
| Insulin Aspart (NovoLog) | 10 - 20 min | 1 - 3 hr. | 3 - 5 hr. |
| Insulin Glulisine (Apidra) | 10 - 15 min | 1 - 1 ½ hr. | 3 - 5 hr. |
| SHORT ACTING: | |||
| Regular Insulin | 30 - 60 min | 1 - 5 hr. | 6 - 10 hr. |
| INTERMEDIATE: | |||
| NPH Insulin | 1 - 2 hr. | 6 - 14 hr. | 16 - 24 hr. |
| LONG ACTING: | |||
| Insulin Glargine (Lantus) | 70 min | N/A | 18 - 24 hr. |
| Insulin Detemir (Levemir) | 1 - 2 hr. | 12 - 24 hr. | Varies |
.png.aspx?width=500&height=216 "Insulin-Duration-(1).png")
Note: Graph is not scientifically accurate and is intended for visualization purposes only.