What are Insulin Pens? Insulin pen devices first became available in 1985 and are now the standard choice for most people with diabetes who inject insulin. GLP-1 receptor agonists only come in a prefilled pen device. Studies have shown many benefits of insulin pens over syringes:
Convenience and ease of use.
Greater accuracy, particularly at low doses.
Greater adherence.
Greater perceived social acceptance.
Reduced fear of needles.
User preference over syringes.
The Importance of Insulin, Glucagon and Glycogen Regulation is best understood by watching the YouTube video below. 4.29 mins Steps for injecting with an insulin pen
Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure the correct technique.
Fit a new needle to the top of the pen.
Resuspend cloudy insulin if applicable by gently rolling and tipping. Confirm visually that the resuspended insulin is sufficiently mixed. Avoid vigorous shaking as this produces air bubbles that may affect accurate dosing.
‘Prime’ the pen to ensure it is working correctly and there are no air bubbles, and that the pen needle is correctly secured.
Dial up the required dose of insulin.
Insert the needle and push down the plunger along the axis of the pen to administer the insulin dose.
Leave the pen needle in situ after injecting the medicine for 10 seconds (or as per the manufacturer’s instructions) to allow the medicine to be fully injected. Counting past 10 seconds may be needed for higher doses.
Remove the pen needle and discard safely. Replace cap on the pen.
Demonstration Videos
A doctor can prescribe several types of insulin pens. A collection of instructional resource videos on insulin pens are below.
Flexpens - NovoRapid/Novolog and NovoMix 30/NovoLog Mix 70/30
The premixed insulins all contain a combination of both an intermediate-acting insulin and a short-acting insulin. The numbers on the pen refer to the percentage of each type of insulin contained in the mixture. That means both Novolin 70/30 (human insulin) and Novolog 70/30 (analogue insulin) contain a mixture of 70% intermediate-acting insulin and 30% short-acting insulin.
Dr. Ergin, the founder and CEO of sugarMDs.com, will show and explain in this video how to use the Flexpens. Novolog should be administered by subcutaneous injection in the abdominal region, buttocks, thigh, or upper arm. Because NovoLog has a more rapid onset and a shorter duration of activity than regular human insulin, it should be injected immediately (within 5-10 minutes) before a meal. It will take effect within 10 to 20 minutes and lasts up to 8 hours. How to use NovoLog 3.03 mins.
OZEMPIC
Learn how to use an OZEMPIC Injection pen the right way. This video shows you the step-by-step process. OZEMPIC is used for Type 2 Diabetes and has an off-label use for weight loss.How to use OZEMPIC 3.13 mins
References and Sources:
YouTube
Australian Diabetes Educators Association, (2019). Clinical Guiding Principles for Subcutaneous Injection Technique. Canberra, Australia.