| Abstract: |
Diabetes mellitus is a common chronic disorder and represents a serious health care challenge. The prevalence of diabetes is increasing worldwide and considerable progress has been made in the understanding of diabetes management. This chapter on insulins is from a textbook that details the practical pharmaceutical care that pharmacists can provide for people with diabetes. In this chapter, the author describes how exogenous insulin is given as replacement therapy to compensate for the lack of endogenous insulin in type 1 diabetes and the relative lack of endogenous insulin (due to insulin resistance or a defect in the insulin release mechanism) in type 2 diabetes. Topics include the mechanism of action, the insulin molecule, insulin secretion, insulin receptors, glucose uptake, pharmacokinetics, administration and dosage, adverse effects (hypoglycemia, lipodystrophy, cardiovascular effects, weight gain), and drug interactions. A final section discusses the different types of insulin preparations, insulin formulations, and insulin analogues. 4 figures. 1 table. 21 references. |