Insulin

Type of Insulin

Examples

Typical Dosage Range

Onset

Peak

Duration

Key Notes

Rapid-Acting

Lispro (Humalog), Aspart (Novolog), Glulisine (Apidra)

4-12 units before meals (adjusted based on carb intake & blood sugar)

10-30 min

30 min - 3 hrs

3-5 hrs

Take with meals; often used in insulin pumps

Short-Acting (Regular)

Regular Insulin (Humulin R, Novolin R)

6-20 units per dose (varies per meal & glucose level)

30-60 min

2-4 hrs

5-8 hrs

Given IV for DKA; take 30 min before meals

Intermediate-Acting

NPH (Humulin N, Novolin N)

10-50 units per dose (typically twice daily)

1-2 hrs

4-12 hrs

12-18 hrs

Cloudy appearance; often combined with regular insulin

Long-Acting

Glargine (Lantus), Detemir (Levemir)

10-80 units once daily (adjusted based on basal needs)

1-4 hrs

No peak

16-24 hrs

Given once daily; do not mix with other insulins

Ultra-Long-Acting

Degludec (Tresiba)

10-100+ units daily (depends on basal insulin requirements)

1-4 hrs

No peak

Over 24 hrs

Provides steady insulin levels; flexible dosing time