What NovoRapid® is used for
The insulin aspart, or “NovoRapid®”, in NovoRapid® Penfill® is a rapid-acting insulin used to treat diabetes mellitus in adults and children. Diabetes mellitus is a condition where your pancreas does not produce enough insulin to control your blood sugar (glucose) level. Extra insulin is therefore needed.
There are two types of diabetes mellitus:
Type 1 diabetes – also called juvenile onset diabetes
Type 2 diabetes – also called maturity onset diabetes
Patients with type 1 diabetes always require insulin to control their blood sugar levels.
Some patients with type 2 diabetes may also require insulin after initial treatment with diet, exercise and tablets.
NovoRapid® lowers your blood sugar level after injection. When injected under your skin, NovoRapid® has a faster onset of action than soluble human insulin. It takes effect within 10 to 20 minutes. Usually, the maximum effect will occur between 1-3 hours after injection and the effect may last for up to 5 hours.
As with all insulins, the duration of action will vary according to the dose, injection site, blood flow, temperature and level of physical activity. Due to its shorter duration of action, NovoRapid® has a lower risk of causing nocturnal hypoglycaemic episodes.
Penfill® is a pre-filled 3mL glass cartridge designed to be used with Novo Nordisk insulin delivery systems (such as NovoPen®).
NovoRapid® is not addictive.
NovoRapid® Penfill® is available only with a doctor’s prescription.
Before you start to use it
Tell your doctor if you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes.
Tell your doctor if you have or have had any medical conditions, especially the following:
- kidney problems
- liver problems
- adrenal, pituitary or thyroid gland problems.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
NovoRapid® can be used during pregnancy. Pregnancy may make managing your diabetes more difficult. Insulin needs usually decrease during the first three months of pregnancy and increase during the last six months. Your doctor can discuss with you the risks and benefits involved.
Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding or plan to breast-feed.
Your doctor or pharmacist can discuss with you the risks and benefits involved.
Inform your doctor as soon as possible if you experience signs of heart failure such as unusual shortness of breath or rapid increase in weight or localised swelling (oedema).
Some patients with long-standing type 2 diabetes mellitus and heart disease or previous stroke who are treated with thiazolidinediones in combination with insulin may develop heart failure.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you use NovoRapid®.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you get without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines and NovoRapid® may interfere with each other and this may mean that your insulin dose has to change.
If you take any of the medicines below, your blood sugar may fall (hypoglycaemia):
- other medicines used for the treatment of diabetes
- monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) – used for the treatment of depression
- alpha-blocking agents – used for the treatment of high blood pressure and to relieve difficulty in passing urine caused by an enlarged prostate
- non-selective beta-blocking agents – used for the treatment of certain heart conditions and high blood pressure which may also mask the symptoms of hypoglycaemia and delay recovery from hypoglycaemia
- angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors – used for the treatment of certain heart conditions, high blood pressure or elevated protein/albumin in the urine
- salicylates e.g. aspirin – used to relieve pain and lower fever
- anabolic steroids – used to promote growth
- sulfonamides – used to treat bacterial infections
- quinine – used for the prevention of malaria and the relief of muscle cramps
- quinidine – used for the control of heart problems.
If you take any of the medicines below, your blood sugar level may rise (hyperglycaemia):
- glucocorticoids (except when applied locally) – used to treat inflammatory conditions
- oral contraceptives (“the pill”) – used for birth control
- thiazides, frusemide or ethacrynic acid – used for the treatment of high blood pressure or fluid retention (oedema)
- thyroid hormones – used for the treatment of malfunction of the thyroid gland
- sympathomimetics – used for the treatment of asthma
- growth hormone – used to treat growth hormone disorders
- danazol – used to treat endometriosis, menorrhagia, fibrocystic breast disease and hereditary angioedema
- oxymetholone – used to treat certain blood disorders
- diazoxide – used for the treatment of high blood pressure
- nicotinic acid – used for the treatment of high cholesterol levels in the blood
- asparaginase – used to treat leukaemia and lymph gland tumours.
If you take the following medicines, your blood sugar level may rise or fall:
- octreotide – used to treat gastrointestinal endocrine tumours and enlargement of parts of the body (e.g. hands, feet, head) caused by abnormal growth hormone levels
- lanreotide – used to treat enlargement of parts of the body (e.g. hands, feet, head) caused by abnormal hormone levels.
Tell your doctor about any other medicines that you are taking.
This is very important. Your doctor will advise you if it is all right to keep taking them or if you should stop taking them.
Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while using this medicine.
How to use NovoRapid® Penfill®
Your doctor, diabetes education nurse or pharmacist will have given you advice on how to use your medicine. Carefully follow all the directions.
They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
Your doctor may also want you to use another insulin such as Protaphane® or Levemir®.
Any change in dose or type of insulin should be made cautiously and only under medical supervision.
If you change the type of insulin that you use, you may have to use more or less than before. This may happen with the first dose or over a period of time.
If you do not understand the instructions, ask your doctor, diabetes education nurse or pharmacist for help.
How much to use
Your doctor or diabetes education nurse will tell you how much of this medicine you need to use.
It is very important that you manage your diabetes carefully. Too much or too little insulin can cause serious effects.
When to use it
NovoRapid® should normally be used immediately (up to 10 minutes) before your meal or carbohydrate snack. When necessary NovoRapid® may be used immediately after the meal.
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