title: Absorption kinetics and action profiles of intermediate acting human insulins.
abstract: The effects of the currently available intermediate acting human insulins on plasma insulin levels and action profiles, assessed by the euglycaemic clamp technique for a period of 8 hr following the administration, were studied in 8 healthy volunteers. The amount of insulin administered was 0.33 IU/kg body wt., using the NPH-insulins Humulin NPH, Insulatard Human, and Protaphane HM and the zinc insulins Monotard-HM and Humulin Zinc. After administration of NPH-insulins an earlier rise of plasma insulin levels was observed, reaching a plateau after about 3 hr, whereas after injection of zinc insulins the plasma insulin levels only gradually increased during at least the first 5-6 hr after administration. Glucose requirements followed a more or less similar pattern, although within the NPH-insulins Protaphane-HM lagged slightly behind during the first 2 hr when compared to Humulin NPH. We conclude therefore, that human NPH-insulins show a faster action profile as compared to human zinc insulins. This difference should be taken into account when switching over from one insulin to another.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D015032:Zinc
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D015032:Zinc