Insulin types

What insulin can be used in an IV

Short acting

Names of rapid acting

• lispro (Humalog)

• aspart (Novolog)

lispro (Humalog) onset 

15 minutes 

• rapid acting 

lispro (Humalog) peak 

1 to 1.5 hours 

• rapid acting 

lispro (Humalog) duration

3 to 4 hours

• rapid acting

aspart (Novolog) onset

15 minutes

• rapid acting

aspart (Novolog) peak

40 to 50 minutes

• rapid acting 

aspart (Novolog) duration

3 to 5 hours

• rapid acting 

Rapid (Onset, Peak, Duration) 

Onset: 15 minutes 

Peak: 1 to 1.5 hours or 40 to 50 minutes 

Duration: 3 to 4 hours or 3 to 5 hours 

Short acting names

Regular

• Novolin-R

• Humulin-R

• Regular U-500 

Regular peak

30 minutes to 1 hour

• short acting

Regular peak

2 to 3 hours

• short acting

Regular duration

4 to 6 hours

• Short acting

Intermediate acting names

NPH

• Humulin N

• Novolin N 

NPH peak 

6 to 8 hours 

• Intermediate acting

NPH onset

2 hours

• Intermediate acting

NPH duration

12 to 16 hours

• Intermediate acting

Short acting (Onset, Peak, Duration) 

Onset:30 minutes to 1 hour

Peak: 2 to 3 hours

Duration: 4 to 6 hours

Intermediate acting (Onset, Peak, Duration)

Onset: 2 hours 

Peak: 6 to 8 hours  

Duration: 12 to 16 hours 

Long acting insulin names 

glargine 

• Lantus

• Toujeo

Glargine peak

3 to 4 hours

• long acting

Glargine onset

1.1 hours

• long acting

Glargine duration

10 to 24 hours

• long acting 

Long acting (Onset, Peak, Duration) 

Onset: 1.1 hours 

Peak: 3 to 4 hours

Duration: 10 to 24 hours