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Overview: Insulin glulisine is a rapid-acting insulin used to lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. It helps get sugar into your cells, so your body can use it for energy. The most common side effects are low blood sugar, weight gain, and pain, redness, itching or swelling at the injection site. Contact your healthcare provider right away if you have severe or frequent low blood sugar or if you feel weak or unusually tired. Insulin glulisine can be used as an injection under your skin, through an intravenous line, or in an insulin pump.

Uses

What is insulin glulisine used for?

Insulin glulisine is commonly used to help lower blood sugar levels in people with either type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes.

Insulin glulisine may also be used for other conditions as determined by your healthcare provider.

How does insulin glulisine work (mechanism of action)?

People with diabetes have trouble with high blood sugar levels. Insulin glulisine helps your body use sugar (glucose). The medicine helps get sugar into your cells, so your body can use it for energy. It also stops your liver from making sugar.

How is insulin glulisine supplied (dosage forms)?

Brands and other names

  • Apidra
  • Apidra Solostar

Dosage forms and strengths

  • 100 units/mL vial
  • 100 units/mL pen-injector

How should I store insulin glulisine?

Store in a place that is not exposed to direct sunlight. Do not freeze. Before opening the vials or pens, insulin glulisine can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator between 36 F to 46 F (2 C to 8 C). If unopened and stored in the refrigerator, insulin glulisine can be used up to the expiration date. Unopened vials or pens stored at room temperature are good for 28 days. Open vials and pens are also good for 28 days, but in-use pens should not be stored in the refrigerator. Talk to your pharmacist if you have questions about how to store insulin glulisine.

Store SoloStar without the needle attached.

Make sure that insulin glulisine stored inside an insulin pump is not exposed to temperatures higher than 98.6 F (37 C).

Side Effects

What are the most common side effects of insulin glulisine?

The most common side effects of insulin glulisine are listed below. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any of these side effects that bother you.

  • Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) (see below)
  • Allergic reactions (including itching and rash) (see below)
  • Pain, redness, itching or swelling at the injection or infusion site
  • Skin thickening or pits at the injection site (also called lipodystrophy)
  • Weight gain

There may be other side effects of insulin glulisine that are not listed here. Contact your healthcare provider if you think you are having a side effect of a medicine. In the U.S., you can report side effects to the FDA at www.fda.gov/medwatch or by calling 800-FDA-1088. In Canada, you can report side effects to Health Canada at www.health.gc.ca/medeffect or by calling 866-234-2345.

What are the serious side effects of insulin glulisine?

While less common, the most serious side effects of insulin glulisine are described below, along with what to do if they happen.

Severe Allergic Reactions. Insulin glulisine may cause allergic reactions, which can be serious. Stop using insulin glulisine and get help right away if you have any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction.

  • Breathing problems or wheezing
  • Racing heart
  • Fever or general ill feeling
  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • Swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue, or throat
  • Trouble swallowing or throat tightness
  • Itching, skin rash, or pale red bumps on the skin called hives
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Dizziness, feeling lightheaded, or fainting
  • Stomach cramps
  • Joint pain

Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia). Insulin glulisine can cause low blood sugar, which can be serious and may lead to death. You may need to check your blood sugar more often if you have changes to your diet, exercise regimen, or medicines for diabetes. Do not use insulin glulisine and call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms of hypoglycemia.

  • Headache
  • Crankiness or anxiety
  • Hunger
  • Dizziness or confusion
  • Blurry vision
  • Slurred speech
  • Sweating
  • Feeling jittery or shakiness
  • Fast heartbeat
  • Seizures

Medication Error. If you are using multiple insulin products, accidentally mixing them up and using the wrong insulin or the wrong dose can cause low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Always check the label on your insulin products before using them to make sure you are using the correct insulin. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms of hypoglycemia [see Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia) above] from either insulin glulisine or any other insulin product that you are using.

Low Potassium Levels (Hypokalemia). Insulin glulisine can cause a low potassium level, which can be serious and may lead to death. Your healthcare provider may check your potassium levels, especially if you take certain other medicines. Keep all appointments to have your blood checked. Call your healthcare provider if you have any of the following symptoms of a low potassium level.

  • Weakness
  • Unusual tiredness
  • Muscle cramps or twitching
  • Constipation

Warnings & Precautions

Who should not use insulin glulisine?

Allergies to Ingredients. People who are allergic to any of the following should not use insulin glulisine.

  • Insulin glulisine
  • Apridra
  • Any of the ingredients in the specific product dispensed

Your pharmacist can tell you all of the ingredients in the specific insulin glulisine products they stock.

Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia). Insulin glulisine should not be used if you are having an episode of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Using insulin glulisine while your blood sugar is low can worsen your symptoms of low blood sugar. See the Side Effects section for more details. 

What should I know about insulin glulisine before using it?

Do not use insulin glulisine unless it has been prescribed to you by a healthcare provider. Use it as prescribed. Make sure that you or a caregiver understands how to properly prepare and use insulin glulisine. If you have any questions, talk to your pharmacist or other healthcare provider.

Do not share insulin glulisine with other people, even if they have the same condition as you. It may harm them. Do not share needles or syringes with another person. Always use a new needle or syringe for each injection.

Keep insulin glulisine out of the reach of children. Since this medicine may be kept in a refrigerator, take special precautions to keep it away from children who also use the refrigerator.

Read and follow the “Instructions for Use” when using insulin glulisine for the first time or when you have not used it in a while. Check the label on your insulin glulisine each time you use it to make sure you are using the correct insulin.

Insulin glulisine can affect your alertness or coordination. Do not drive or do other activities that require alertness or coordination until you know how insulin glulisine affects you.

Certain conditions that cause increased stress on your body, like fever, trauma (such as a car accident), infection, or surgery, can change the amount of diabetes medicines you need to take to control your diabetes. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have any of these conditions to decide if your medicine needs to be changed.

Some medicines may make it difficult to notice signs of low blood sugar. Talk to your healthcare provider about how to prevent, recognize, and manage low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), high blood sugar (hyperglycemia), and diabetes-related problems.

Do not use the same exact spot for each insulin glulisine injection. Do not inject where your skin is thickened, hard, scarred or has pits or lumps. Do not inject into tender or bruised skin.

People who are 65 years or older can be at greater risk for hypoglycemia from insulin glulisine. Talk to your healthcare provider about your risks if you are in this age group.

What should I tell my healthcare provider before using insulin glulisine?

Tell your healthcare provider about all of your health conditions and any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using. This will help them determine if insulin glulisine is right for you.

In particular, make sure that you discuss any of the following.

Other Medicines and Supplements. Insulin glulisine may interact with other medicines and supplements. Before using insulin glulisine, tell your healthcare provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using. See the Interactions section for more details.

Current and Past Health Conditions. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any of the following.

  • No awareness of low blood sugar level
  • Kidney or liver problems 

Diet and Lifestyle Changes. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any changes in your diet, level of physical activity, or illnesses. These may affect the amount of insulin glulisine you need.

Pregnancy. It is not known if or how insulin glulisine could affect pregnancy or harm an unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you are or plan to become pregnant. Your healthcare provider will advise you if you should use insulin glulisine while you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant. Uncontrolled diabetes can increase the risk of harm to a mother and an unborn baby. Your healthcare provider will discuss the best way to control your blood sugar.

Breastfeeding. Insulin glulisine passes into breast milk. Tell your healthcare provider if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Your healthcare provider will advise you if you should use insulin glulisine while breastfeeding.

Interactions

Does insulin glulisine interact with foods or drinks?

You should use insulin glulisine within 15 minutes before starting a meal or within 20 minutes after starting your meal. This helps to lower your risk of having low blood sugar. Talk to your pharmacist or healthcare provider if you have any questions about how to time meals while using insulin glulisine. 

Do not drink alcohol or use any medicines that have alcohol in them while using insulin glulisine. Alcohol may affect blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. 

Does insulin glulisine interact with other medicines (drug interactions)?

Always tell your healthcare provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using.

In particular, make sure that you discuss if you are using any of the following before using insulin glulisine.

  • A beta-blocker, such as metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL, and others), atenolol (Tenormin), or propranolol (Inderal LA, Innopran XL), which is a medicine that may be used for certain heart conditions or to reduce blood pressure
  • Clonidine (Catapres-TTS and others), which is a medicine used for high blood pressure or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
  • Pioglitazone (Actos), or any other medicine for diabetes

Many other medicines can increase your blood sugar, or can increase or decrease the impact insulin glulisine has on your blood sugar. Talk to your pharmacist or healthcare provider before starting or stopping other medicines while using insulin glulisine. You may need to monitor your blood sugar levels more closely during these times.

This may not be a complete list of medicines that can interact with insulin glulisine. Always check with your healthcare provider.

Does interact with other drugs you are taking?

Enter your medication into the WebMD interaction checker

Overdose/Missed Dose

What should I do if I accidentally use too much insulin glulisine?

If you or someone else has used too much insulin glulisine, get medical help right away, call 911, or contact a Poison Control center at 800-222-1222.

What should I do if I miss a dose of insulin glulisine?

It is important to use your insulin glulisine exactly as it is prescribed. Talk to your healthcare provider, ahead of time, about what you should do if you miss a dose of insulin. Do not use double or extra doses.