Drug Forms And Strengths
Lantus comes as a liquid solution inside vials and disposable, prefilled pens.
Each vial of Lantus contains 10 milliliters of solution. Each mL contains 100 units of insulin glargine. So, theres a total of 1,000 units of insulin glargine in each vial. This strength is also called Lantus U-100.
The disposable, prefilled pen of Lantus is called SoloStar. Each pen contains 3 mL of solution. There are 100 units of insulin glargine in each mL. That adds up to a total of 300 units of insulin per Lantus SoloStar pen.
Lantus SoloStar pens come in a package of five.
Needles arent included in the packages of either form of Lantus.
The Lantus vial and Lantus SoloStar pen are both meant to be used more than once. The number of times will be different for each person, depending on your dosage. You can use the vials and pens for up to 28 days after you open them. After that time, you should dispose of the vial or pen, even if it still contains some of the drug.
But you should use each needle only once.
What Side Effects Are Possible With This Medication
Many medications can cause side effects. A side effect is an unwanted response to a medication when it is taken in normal doses. Side effects can be mild or severe, temporary or permanent. The side effects listed below are not experienced by everyone who takes this medication. If you are concerned about side effects, discuss the risks and benefits of this medication with your doctor.
The following side effects have been reported by at least 1% of people taking this medication. Many of these side effects can be managed, and some may go away on their own over time.
Contact your doctor if you experience these side effects and they are severe or bothersome. Your pharmacist may be able to advise you on managing side effects.
- redness, itching, or swelling at the site of the injection
Although most of the side effects listed below don’t happen very often, they could lead to serious problems if you do not check with your doctor or seek medical attention.
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:
- signs of low blood glucose:
- anxiety
- numbness or tingling of the lips, fingers, or tongue
- sweating
Stop taking the medication and seek immediate medical attention if any of the following occur:
- rash or blisters all over the body
- seizures
- symptoms of a serious allergic reaction
- unconsciousness
Lantus Solostar Insulin Pen Side Effects By Likelihood And Severity
COMMON side effects If experienced, these tend to have a Severe expression Low Blood Sugar INFREQUENT side effects If experienced, these tend to have a Less Severe expression Acute Infection Of The Nose, Throat Or Sinus Backache Cough Head Pain Inflammation Of The Nose Signs And Symptoms At Injection Site Throat Irritation Weight Gain RARE side effects If experienced, these tend to have a Severe expression Abnormally Low Blood Pressure Itching Low Amount Of Potassium In The Blood Rash Trouble Breathing If experienced, these tend to have a Less Severe expression Abnormal Fat Distribution Visible Water RetentionContinue reading > >
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How To Inject Lantus Using A Solostar Pen
If your doctor wants you to use a Lantus SoloStar pen, follow these steps.
Preparing the pen
Heres how to get your Lantus SoloStar pen ready for use.
Attaching a needle to the pen
Once the pen is at room temperature and youve prepared it, youre ready to attach the needle.
Testing the pen
Are There Any Possible Drug Interactions
- Make sure to tell your veterinarian what other medication you are giving to your cat.
- Quite often, your veterinarian may prescribe two different medications, even if a drug interaction may occur. In this case, your veterinarian may vary the dose and/or monitor your pet more closely.
- Report any unusual symptoms to your veterinarian.
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Does Lantus Cause Cancer As A Side Effect
No, Lantus is not known to cause cancer. In clinical trials, the incidence of cancer was similar between treatment groups. And it hasnt been reported since this medication has been available for use.
Certain drugs for type 2 diabetes called thiazolidinediones have been linked to bladder cancer in some people. TZDs include rosiglitazone and pioglitazone . However, its not known for certain if these drugs increase the risk of bladder cancer.
Lantus is not related to these drugs. Lantus is a type of insulin. And no types of insulin are known to cause cancer.
If youre concerned about the risk of cancer with your diabetes medications, talk with your doctor.
Does Lantus Treat Diabetic Ketoacidosis
No. Lantus isnt used to treat diabetic ketoacidosis .
DKA is a serious complication of diabetes. It occurs when your blood sugar levels are very high but your insulin levels are low. Because insulin isnt available to move sugar into your cells, they cant use the sugar as fuel. Instead, your body starts breaking down fat into ketones for energy. High levels of ketones make your blood more acidic, which can harm many organs in your body.
DKA treatment takes place in a hospital setting. Treatment involves using insulin to bring sugar into your cells. However, Lantus isnt the best type of insulin for this process because it takes too long to start working. Faster-acting insulins such as insulin aspart , insulin glulisine , or insulin lispro are typically used as part of DKA treatment.
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How To Avoid Lantus Side Effects
What Other Drugs Could Interact With This Medication
There may be an interaction between insulin glargine and any of the following:
- ACE inhibitors
- alcohol
- thyroid replacement therapy
- triptorelin
If you are taking any of these medications, speak with your doctor or pharmacist. Depending on your specific circumstances, your doctor may want you to:
- stop taking one of the medications,
- change one of the medications to another,
- change how you are taking one or both of the medications, or
- leave everything as is.
An interaction between two medications does not always mean that you must stop taking one of them. Speak to your doctor about how any drug interactions are being managed or should be managed.
Medications other than those listed above may interact with this medication. Tell your doctor or prescriber about all prescription, over-the-counter , and herbal medications that you are taking. Also tell them about any supplements you take. Since caffeine, the nicotine from cigarettes, or street drugs can affect the action of many medications, you should let your prescriber know if you use them.
All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 2022. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/drug/getdrug/Lantus
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How Can I Stay Healthy While Taking Lantus
Before you start to take Lantus, discuss your medical history and all of the medications you take with your healthcare provider.
When taking Lantus, follow your healthcare providers instructions for use. Read the patient information that comes with your prescription and consult your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns. Talk to your provider about blood sugar monitoring. Make sure you understand how and when to test your blood sugar.
Look out for the signs of low blood sugar, such as:
- Hunger
- Confusion
- Shakiness
Your provider will give you instructions on how to treat low blood sugar. For example, eating a certain amount of fast-acting carbohydrates such as glucose tablets or apple juice can help. Talk to your provider about a glucagon prescription, such as Baqsimi, which can help treat low blood sugar in an emergency.
Avoid drinking alcohol while taking Lantus. Check medications for alcohol content, such as cough syrups. Avoid driving until you know how Lantus affects you. Always check the prescription label before injecting Lantus.
Prepare a diabetes kit to take with you everywhere you go. You may want to include items such as:
- A blood glucose testing meter and extra supplies, including strips, lancing device, lancets, alcohol wipes
- Emergency contact information
- Glucagon
- Low blood sugar treatments, such as glucose tablets and juice boxes
Pregnancy And Breastfeeding While Using Lantus
Its not known if Lantus may be safe to take during pregnancy. So far, studies have shown that Lantus does not cause an increased risk of problems with fetal development . But more studies are needed to determine the possible risk.
Its important to note that untreated diabetes during pregnancy can cause harm to a fetus. The American Diabetes Association recommends that females* with gestational diabetes use insulin such as Lantus to help lower their blood sugar levels.
At this time, its also unknown whether Lantus may be safe to use while breastfeeding.
If youre pregnant or breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant or to breastfeed, talk with your doctor before using Lantus.
* In this article, we use the term female to refer to someones sex assigned at birth. For information about the difference between sex and gender, see this article.
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A Guide To Lantus Insulin Treating Diabetes
indications for Lantus Lantus is a brand of insulin used to treat diabetes mellitus. An insulin glargine — a type of insulin that is structurally identical to, but not, human produced insulin — Lantus is designed to be longer lasting than other insulins, lasting up to 24 hours . Like all other forms of insulin, Lantus is taken subcutaneously , and can be a critical part of treating your dog or cats diabetes. Precautions Injections should not be administered in the same spot every day, as this could cause scarring, which will dampen the bodies ability to absorb the medication. Use with anabolic steroids, adrenergic blockers, MAOIs, aspirin , phenylbutazone, or tetracycline might increase the effects of Lantus, and should be monitored, while DOBUTamine, EPINEPHrine, furosemide, thiazide, progesterone, glucocorticoids, and estrogen, may decrease the effects. Taking with burdock may have a hypoglycemic effect, and the dosage of insulin may need to be adjusted accordingly. Pets taking digoxin should have their potassium levels monitored. Dosage Typically eliciting a much stronger reaction from dogs than from cats, the dosage will typically start out much lower than with other types of insulin, roughly .1 unit/kg twice a day.Continue reading > >
How Was Your Experience With Lantus
Lantus is a prescription medication used to treat people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes for the control of high blood sugar. Lantus may be used along with fast-acting insulin or oral medications to control blood sugar.
This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Lantus can cause hypoglycemia , hyperglycemia , allergy, and skin reactions.
Hypoglycemia : Early warning signs of hypoglycemia may be different, less noticeable or not noticeable at all in some people. That is why it is important to check your blood sugar as you have been advised by your doctor.
Symptoms of hypoglycemia may include:
- anxiety, irritability, restlessness, trouble concentrating, personality changes, mood changes, or other abnormal behavior
- tingling in your hands, feet, lips, or tongue
- dizziness, light-headedness, or drowsiness
- tremor
- unsteady gait .
If you have hypoglycemia often or it is hard for you to know if you have the symptoms of hypoglycemia, talk to your doctor.
Mild to moderate hypoglycemia is treated by eating or drinking carbohydrates, such as fruit juice, raisins, sugar candies, milk or glucose tablets. Talk to your doctor about the amount of carbohydrates you should eat to treat mild to moderate hypoglycemia.
Hyperglycemia can be mild or severe. Hyperglycemia can progress to diabetic ketoacidosis or very high glucose levels and result in unconsciousness and death.
Symptoms of hyperglycemia include:
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Lantus Common Drug Side Effects
If left untreated, hypoglycemia can be serious. It can quickly lead to unconsciousness, seizures, or even death. Keep a quick source of sugar handy at all times. This can include candy, juice, table sugar, or glucose tablets that you can take in the event you notice any of the signs or symptoms of hypoglycemia. Other side effects of Lantus may include the following: High blood sugar . This happens when there is not enough insulin in the blood. You may feel thirsty and urinate more often than usual. Drowsiness, rapid breathing, flushing, and a fruity-smelling breath odor are other signs. Low blood potassium. When this happens, it can cause muscle cramps, weakness, and irregular heartbeat. You can help prevent hypoglycemia by eating regular meals while taking Lantus. Ask your doctor what others steps you can take to prevent hyperglycemia or low potassium levels from happening. Lantus can cause a rare but serious allergic reaction. Tell your doctor immediately, or call 911 in an emergency, if you have:Continue reading > >
Lantus For Type 1 Diabetes
Lantus is approved by the FDA to improve blood sugar levels in adults and children with type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition where your pancreas doesnt make insulin. Your body needs the hormone insulin to bring sugar into your cells, where sugar is used for energy. Without insulin, your cells cant get the energy they need to work properly. It also leads to high blood sugar levels, which can cause serious problems if not treated.
People with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin to survive.
Note: Lantus isnt approved to treat DKA, which is a possible complication of diabetes. For more information about DKA, see the Common questions about Lantus section below.
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Drug Forms And Administration
Lantus and Levemir both come as liquid solutions.
The two drugs come in two different forms:
- as a 10-milliliter vial that contains 100 units of insulin per mL
- as a disposable, prefilled pen
The Lantus pen is called Lantus Solostar. It contains 3 mL of solution with 100 units of insulin per mL.
The Levemir pen is called Levemir FlexTouch. It also contains 3 mL of solution with 100 units of insulin per mL.
Lantus and Levemir are both given as an injection just under your skin .
Lantus is typically given once a day. Levemir is given once or twice a day.
What Form Does This Medication Come In
Vial Each mL of sterile solution contains 100 units of insulin glargine. Nonmedicinal ingredients: glycerol, m-cresol, polysorbate 20 , water for injection, and zinc. Hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide may have been added to adjust for pH.
Cartridge Each mL of sterile solution contains 100 units of insulin glargine. Nonmedicinal ingredients: glycerol, m-cresol, polysorbate 20 , water for injection, and zinc. Hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide may have been added to adjust for pH.
SoloSTAR disposable pen Each mL of sterile solution contains 100 units of insulin glargine. Nonmedicinal ingredients: glycerol, m-cresol, polysorbate 20 , water for injection, and zinc. Hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide may have been added to adjust for pH.
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