Insulin Human Inhalation
Insulin inhalation may decrease lung function and can cause bronchospasms (breathing difficulties). Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; a group of diseases that affect the lungs and airways). Your doctor will tell you not to use insulin inhalation if you have asthma or COPD. Your doctor will order certain tests to check how well your lungs are working before therapy, 6 months after starting therapy, and annually while using insulin inhalation treatment. Tell your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms: wheezing or difficulty breathing.
Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory.
Your doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer’s patient information sheet (Medication Guide) when you begin treatment with insulin inhalation and each time you refill your prescription. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. You can also visit the manufacturer’s website to obtain the Medication Guide.
Talk to your doctor about the risks of using insulin inhalation.
🔔 Why is this medication prescribed?
Insulin inhalation is used in combination with a long-acting insulin to treat type 1 diabetes (condition in which the body does not produce insulin and therefore cannot control the amount of sugar in the blood). It is also used in combination with other medications to treat people with type 2 diabetes (condition in which the body does not use insulin normally and, therefore, cannot control the amount of sugar in the blood) who need insulin to control their diabetes. Insulin inhalation is not used for the treatment diabetic ketoacidosis (a serious condition that may develop if high blood sugar is not treated). Insulin inhalation is a short-acting, man-made version of human insulin. Insulin inhalation works by replacing the insulin that is normally produced by the body and by helping to move sugar from the blood into other body tissues where it is used for energy. It also stops the liver from producing more sugar.
Over time, people who have diabetes and high blood sugar can develop serious or life-threatening complications, including heart disease, stroke, kidney problems, nerve damage, and eye problems. Using medication(s), making lifestyle changes (e.g., diet, exercise, quitting smoking), and regularly checking your blood sugar may help to manage your diabetes and improve your health. This therapy may also decrease your chances of having a heart attack, stroke, or other diabetes-related complications such as kidney failure, nerve damage (numb, cold legs or feet; decreased sexual ability in men and women), eye problems, including changes or loss of vision, or gum disease. Your doctor and other healthcare providers will talk to you about the best way to manage your diabetes.
In the U.S., healthcare spending accounts for 17.7% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), or the total value of goods and services produced by the entire nation for the entire year, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
🔔 How should this medicine be used?
Insulin inhalation comes as a powder to inhale by mouth using a special inhaler. It is usually used at the beginning of each meal. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Use insulin inhalation exactly as directed. Do not use more or less of it or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Insulin inhalation controls diabetes, but does not cure it. Continue to use insulin inhalation even if you feel well. Do not stop using insulin inhalation without talking to your doctor. Do not switch to another type of insulin without talking to your doctor.
Before you use your insulin oral inhaler the first time, read the written instructions that come with it. Look at the diagrams carefully and be sure that you recognize all the parts of the inhaler. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to show you how to use it. Be sure to ask your pharmacist or doctor if you have any questions about how to inhale this medication.
Insulin inhalation powder comes as a single-use cartridge. The cartridges should only be used with the inhaler that comes with your prescription. Do not try to open the cartridge, swallow the cartridge, or inhale the contents without the inhaler that comes with your prescription.
Before putting the cartidge in the inhaler, remove the cartridge(s) from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
After you insert a cartridge into the inhaler, keep the inhaler level with the white mouthpiece on top and purple base on the bottom. If the inhaler is held upside down, or if the mouthpiece is pointed down, shaken, or dropped, you may lose medication. If this happens, you will need to replace the cartridge with a new cartridge before using the inhaler.
Follow your doctor’s instructions about how many insulin inhalation cartridges you should use each day. When you begin using insulin inhalation, your doctor may need to adjust the doses of your other diabetes medications, such as long-acting insulin and oral medications for diabetes. Your doctor may also need to adjust your dose of insulin inhalation during your treatment. Follow these directions carefully and ask your doctor if you have any questions. Do not change the dose of insulin inhalation or any other medication for diabetes without talking to your doctor.
