From the Guidelines
Aspart is a rapid-acting insulin analog. This classification is based on its pharmacokinetic profile, which includes a quick onset of action, a short peak time, and a relatively short duration of effect 1.
Key Characteristics of Aspart Insulin
- Onset: Aspart insulin has an onset of action of approximately 5 minutes 1.
- Peak: It peaks in about 1 to 2 hours 1.
- Duration: The duration of action for Aspart insulin is around 3 to 4 hours 1.
Clinical Use and Considerations
Aspart insulin is designed to control the spike in blood glucose levels immediately following a meal, making it an ideal choice for mealtime insulin coverage. Its rapid onset allows for administration immediately before eating, which is more convenient than regular human insulin that requires a 30-minute pre-meal injection. However, the potential for hypoglycemia exists, particularly if meals are delayed or skipped after its administration. Therefore, patients should be educated on the signs of hypoglycemia and how to manage it.
Storage and Usage
Proper storage according to the manufacturer's guidelines is crucial to maintain the efficacy of Aspart insulin. It should be used as part of a comprehensive diabetes management plan, which may also include basal insulin for background glucose control. Common brand names for insulin aspart include NovoLog and Fiasp, offering patients and healthcare providers options for managing diabetes effectively.
From the Research
Insulin Aspart Characteristics
- Insulin aspart is a rapid-acting insulin analogue with improved subcutaneous absorption properties compared to soluble human insulin 2.
- It has a faster onset and shorter duration of action than regular human insulin 3.
- Insulin aspart is characterized by a smaller excursion of postprandial glucose when injected subcutaneously just before a meal compared to soluble human insulin injected 30 minutes before a meal in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus 2.
Clinical Applications
- Insulin aspart is used in the management of type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus, providing better postprandial glycaemic control than regular human insulin 4, 3.
- It can be administered immediately before meals, providing significantly greater improvements in glycosylated haemoglobin and better postprandial glycaemic control than regular human insulin administered 30 minutes before meals 3.
- Insulin aspart is also effective in children, adolescents, and young adults with type 1 diabetes, and has a tolerability profile similar to that of regular human insulin 3.
Fast-Acting Insulin Aspart
- Fast-acting insulin aspart (faster aspart) is a novel formulation of insulin aspart with added excipients, L-arginine and niacinamide, to ensure formulation stability and accelerated initial absorption 5, 6.
- Faster aspart has a faster onset, doubling of initial exposure, and an up to 2.5-fold increase in initial glucose-lowering effect within 30 minutes of subcutaneous injection compared to insulin aspart 6.
- It provides earlier onset and offset of exposure and effect, and has the potential to further improve postprandial glucose control in subjects with diabetes 6.