From the Guidelines
Aspart insulin is a rapid-acting insulin analog that should be used to control blood sugar levels in people with diabetes, with a recommended administration via subcutaneous injection using an insulin pen, syringe, or insulin pump, and dosing adjustments based on individual needs, meal content, and current blood glucose levels, as outlined in the 2020 standards of medical care in diabetes 1.
Key Characteristics of Aspart Insulin
- Begins working within 10-20 minutes after injection
- Peaks in 1-3 hours
- Lasts for 3-5 hours
- Typically taken just before or at the beginning of meals to manage post-meal blood sugar spikes
Administration and Storage
- Administered via subcutaneous injection using an insulin pen, syringe, or insulin pump
- Unopened vials should be stored in the refrigerator
- In-use vials can be kept at room temperature for up to 28 days
Clinical Considerations
- Aspart insulin works by helping glucose enter cells, mimicking the body's natural insulin response to food but with faster action than regular human insulin
- Requires careful timing with food intake to avoid hypoglycemia
- Patients with type 1 diabetes may require 50% of their daily insulin as basal and 50% as prandial, with total daily insulin requirements estimated based on weight, ranging from 0.4 to 1.0 units/kg/day 1
- Proper insulin injection technique is important to optimize glucose control and insulin use safety, including injecting into appropriate body areas, injection site rotation, and avoidance of intramuscular delivery 1
From the FDA Drug Label
Insulin aspart-szjj is a rapid-acting human insulin analog homologous with regular human insulin with the exception of a single substitution of the amino acid proline by aspartic acid in position B28, and is produced by recombinant DNA technology utilizing Escherichia coli. MERILOG (insulin aspart-szjj) injection is a sterile, clear, and colorless solution for subcutaneous use. MERILOG is rapid acting human insulin analog indicated to improve glycemic control in adults and pediatric patients with diabetes mellitus.
Aspart insulin is a rapid-acting human insulin analog that is used to improve glycemic control in adults and pediatric patients with diabetes mellitus. It is produced by recombinant DNA technology and has a single substitution of the amino acid proline by aspartic acid in position B28, which distinguishes it from regular human insulin 2. Aspart insulin is administered via subcutaneous injection and is available in a 100 units/mL (U-100) solution 2.
- Key characteristics:
- Rapid-acting
- Human insulin analog
- Improves glycemic control
- Used in adults and pediatric patients with diabetes mellitus
- Administration:
- Subcutaneous injection
- 100 units/mL (U-100) solution
- Production:
- Recombinant DNA technology
- Single substitution of the amino acid proline by aspartic acid in position B28
From the Research
Definition and Characteristics of Aspart Insulin
- Aspart insulin, also known as insulin aspart, is a rapid-acting insulin analog 3.
- It is produced by recombinant technology, where the proline at position 28 on the B chain of insulin is replaced with negatively charged aspartic acid 3.
- Insulin aspart exists as hexamers that rapidly dissociate into monomers and dimers on subcutaneous injection, allowing for faster absorption and action 3.
Comparison with Other Insulins
- Insulin aspart has been compared to other insulins, such as Fiasp (fast-acting insulin aspart) and Novolog, in terms of postprandial glucose control and safety 4, 5.
- Studies have shown that insulin aspart is at least as effective as regular human insulin in controlling postprandial blood glucose concentrations 3.
- Insulin aspart has also been compared to insulin glargine and insulin detemir in basal-bolus regimens, with similar efficacy and safety profiles 6, 7.
Clinical Use and Efficacy
- Insulin aspart is commonly used in basal-bolus regimens, with mealtime insulin aspart and basal insulin (such as insulin glargine or insulin detemir) 6, 7.
- Clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of insulin aspart in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, with improved postprandial glucose control and reduced risk of hypoglycemia 4, 5, 3.
- Insulin aspart has also been shown to contribute to improved quality of life in patients with diabetes, due to its convenient premeal administration and favorable pharmacokinetics 3.