title: Insulin glargine versus NPH insulin in patients with type 1 diabetes.
abstract: Type 1 diabetes is associated with a number of diabetes-related complications which may be minimized by maintaining good long-term metabolic control. The current guidelines recommend that glycosylated hemoglobin levels should be targeted to below 7.0% or 6.5% to reduce the incidence of diabetic complications, including micro- and macrovascular disorders. However, this intensive metabolic control is hindered by the occurrence of hypoglycemia. The episodes of hypoglycemia are problematic for patients taking intermediate-acting insulin preparations (i.e., NPH insulin), which have traditionally formed the mainstay basal insulin treatment. With NPH insulin, the pharmacokinetic profile is such that peak insulin activity occurs 4-6 hours following administration; therefore, nocturnal hypoglycemia commonly takes place after bedtime administration of the insulin. The development of the long-acting human insulin analogue insulin glargine now provides patients with an insulin that offers a longer duration of action (up to 24 hours) and a smoother time-action profile compared with those of NPH insulin. A number of clinical trials comparing the safety and efficacy of insulin glargine and NPH insulin in patients with type 1 diabetes show that, in addition to other clinical benefits over NPH insulin, insulin glargine may also improve glycemic control and satisfaction in this patient population.
authors.affiliation: MedStar Research Institute, Hyattsville, Maryland 20783, USA. ratnermri@aol.com
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ratner
mesh_terms: D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069036:Insulin Glargine; D007336:Insulin, Isophane / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D049528:Insulin, Long-Acting
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D049528:Insulin, Long-Acting; D000069036:Insulin Glargine; D007336:Insulin, Isophane