HUMINSULIN 30/70 PENFILL 3 ML

How HUMINSULIN 30/70 PENFILL 3 ML Works

• Insulin moves glucose out of the bloodstream and into muscle and fat cells, where it is used for energy or stored. It also stops the liver from releasing more glucose than the body needs. In diabetes the body either makes no insulin or cannot use its own effectively, so glucose builds up in the blood.
• The regular human insulin in the mixture is absorbed quickly after injection and acts on the glucose arriving from a meal.
• The NPH component is bound to protamine, which slows its absorption. It is released gradually and holds glucose steady between meals and through the night. The two together produce a pattern closer to the way the body would normally release insulin.

Hypoglycaemia, meaning blood glucose falling too low, is the effect that matters most. Sweating, shaking, hunger, palpitations, headache, irritability, confusion and blurred vision are the usual warning signs. Severe hypoglycaemia can cause seizures or loss of consciousness and is a medical emergency. Anyone using insulin should carry a fast-acting sugar source at all times, and the people around them should know what the warning signs look like. Beta-blockers can blunt those warning signs, so hypoglycaemia can arrive with less notice in someone taking one. Injecting into the same spot repeatedly changes the fat under the skin, which can thicken or dimple. That changed tissue absorbs insulin unpredictably, which is why sites are rotated. Blurred vision is common in the first weeks of insulin treatment and usually settles as glucose levels stabilise. A generalised rash, breathlessness, wheezing, a fast pulse or a fall in blood pressure suggests a whole-body allergic reaction and needs emergency care. Stopping insulin, or taking too little of it, allows blood glucose and ketones to rise. Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, drowsiness, rapid breathing and unusual thirst can signal diabetic ketoacidosis, which needs urgent hospital assessment.

• Hypoglycaemia, or low blood glucose
• Redness, swelling or itching at the injection site
• Thickening or dimpling of fat at injection sites
• Weight gain
• Swelling of the ankles or other joints
• Blurred vision when treatment starts
• Pain, bleeding or bruising at the injection site

• If you miss a dose of Huminsulin 30/70, take it as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one, as this can increase the risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

• Store unopened cartridges in a refrigerator between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius. Do not freeze, and do not use insulin that has been frozen.
• Once a cartridge is in use it can be kept at room temperature below 30 degrees Celsius, away from direct sunlight and heat. Discard it after the in-use period printed on the current Lilly pack, which is 28 days, even where insulin remains in the cartridge.
• Keep all insulin out of the reach of children and check the expiry date before use.

• Roll and tip the cartridge before every injection until the insulin looks evenly cloudy
• Do not use the cartridge if the insulin looks clear, clumped, discoloured or contains particles
• Inject under the skin only, never into a vein or muscle
• Rotate injection sites within the same region to protect the fat under the skin
• Use a new needle each time and dispose of it in a sharps container
• Carry a fast-acting sugar source at all times and tell family and colleagues what low glucose looks like
• Do not stop insulin during illness, and follow the sick-day plan agreed with the diabetes team
• Tell the prescriber about beta-blockers, corticosteroids and any new medicine, since insulin needs can change
• Check the cartridge label before use, since Huminsulin is sold in more than one ratio and pack type

• Meals and injections need to match. Eating later than planned, eating less than planned or skipping a meal after injecting all raise the risk of hypoglycaemia.
• Alcohol lowers blood glucose and can do so hours after drinking, including overnight. It also blurs the warning signs. Where alcohol is taken, it is best taken with food, and the safe amount should be discussed with the diabetes team.
• Unplanned exercise increases glucose uptake by muscle and can cause hypoglycaemia during or well after the activity. A dietitian or diabetes educator can set out how to match carbohydrate intake to the insulin plan.