Insulin glargine is a type of insulin. Insulin is one of many hormones that help the body turn the food we eat into energy. This is done by using the glucose (sugar) in the blood as quick energy. Also, insulin helps us store energy that we can use later. When you have diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes), your body does not produce enough insulin, or the insulin produced is not used properly. This causes you to have too much sugar in your blood. Like other types of insulin, insulin glargine is used to keep your blood sugar level close to normal. Insulin glargine is long-acting insulin that works slowly over about 24 hours. You may have to use insulin glargine in combination with another type of insulin or with a type of oral diabetes medicine to keep your blood sugar under control.

Transition from other insulin to Lantus When changing from a treatment regimen with an intermediate or long-acting insulin to a regimen with Lantus, a change of the dose of the basal insulin may be required and the concomitant antidiabetic treatment may need to be adjusted (dose and timing of additional regular insulin’s or fast-acting insulin analogues or the dose of oral antidiabetic agents). To reduce the risk of nocturnal and early morning hypoglycaemia, patients who are changing their basal insulin regimen from a twice daily NPH insulin to a once daily regimen with Lantus should reduce their daily dose of basal insulin by 20-30% during the first weeks of treatment. During the first weeks the reduction should, at least partially, be compensated by an increase in mealtime insulin, after this period the regimen should be adjusted individually. As with other insulin analogues, patients with high insulin doses because of antibodies to human insulin may experience an improved insulin response with Lantus. Close metabolic monitoring is recommended during the transition and in the initial weeks thereafter. With improved metabolic control and resulting increase in insulin sensitivity a further adjustment in dosage regimen may become necessary. Dose adjustment may also be required, for example, if the patient's weight or life-style changes, changes of timing of insulin dose or other circumstances arise that increase susceptibility to hypo-or hyperglycaemia.

AdministrationLantus is administered subcutaneously. Lantus should not be administered intravenously. The prolonged duration of action of Lantus is dependent on its injection into subcutaneous tissue. Intravenous administration of the usual subcutaneous dose could result in severe hypoglycaemia.

Interaction:

A number of substances affect glucose metabolism and may require dose adjustment of insulin glargine. Substances that may enhance the blood-glucose-lowering effect and increase susceptibility to hypoglycaemia include oral antidiabetic agents, ACE inhibitors, disopyramide, fibrates, fluoxetine, MAO inhibitors, pentoxifylline, propoxyphene, salicylates and sulphonamide antibiotics. Substances that may reduce the blood-glucose-lowering effect include corticosteroids, danazol, diazoxide, diuretics, glucagon, isoniazid, oestrogens and progestogens, phenothiazine derivatives, somatropin, sympathomimetic agents (e.g. epinephrine [adrenaline], salbutamol, terbutaline), thyroid hormones, atypical antipsychotic medicinal products (e.g. clozapine and olanzapine) and protease inhibitors. Beta-blockers, clonidine, lithium salts or alcohol may either potentiate or weaken the blood-glucose-lowering effect of insulin. Pentamidine may cause hypoglycaemia, which may sometimes be followed by hyperglycaemia. In addition, under the influence of sympatholytic medicinal products such as beta-blockers, clonidine, guanethidine and reserpine, the signs of adrenergic counter-regulation may be reduced or absent.

Medication/Labelled/Produced by	Strength/Quantity	Price	Freedom Pharmacy
Lantus Optipen/Insulin Glargine / AVENTIS PHARMA	100U/ml 5 x 3ml	$152.16
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