One-Pager
Insulin Types Chart: Onset, Peak and Duration
Rapid, short, intermediate, long, ultra-long and premixed insulins with brand names, meal timing, mixing, hypoglycemia and NCLEX traps
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Insulin types chart
This insulin types chart gives the onset, peak and duration of each insulin group with its generic and brand names. Times are approximate and vary with dose, injection site and the person; study values, not a dosing guide. Follow orders and your facility's protocol.
| Type | Generic (brand) | Onset | Peak | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid | Lispro (Humalog), aspart (NovoLog), glulisine (Apidra) | About 15 min | 1–3 h | 3–5 h |
| Faster rapid | Aspart (Fiasp), lispro-aabc (Lyumjev) | About 15–20 min | About 1.5–3 h | About 5–7 h |
| Short | Regular (Humulin R) | About 30 min | About 2–3 h | About 8 h (3–14) |
| Intermediate | NPH, isophane (Humulin N, Novolin N) | About 1–2 h | 4–12 h | 12–18 h |
| Long | Glargine U-100 (Lantus) | About 2 h | No pronounced peak | About 24 h |
| Ultra-long | Degludec (Tresiba), glargine U-300 (Toujeo) | About 6 h | No peak | 36 h or longer (degludec at least 42 h) |
| Premixed | NPH/regular 70/30 (Humulin 70/30); lispro mix 75/25 (Humalog Mix75/25) | 30–90 min (70/30) | About 2–3.5 h | Up to about 22–24 h |
When to give it
| Insulin | Timing on the label |
|---|---|
| Humalog | Within 15 min before a meal or right after a meal |
| NovoLog | 5–10 min before a meal |
| Apidra | Within 15 min before or within 20 min after starting a meal |
| Fiasp, Lyumjev | At the start of a meal or within 20 min after starting |
| Regular (Humulin R) | About 30 min before a meal |
| Humulin 70/30 | 30–45 min before a meal |
| Humalog Mix75/25 | Within 15 min before a meal |
| Glargine, degludec | Once daily at the same time each day |
Mixing insulins: clear before cloudy
- Only NPH is mixed with another insulin in one syringe: regular, lispro, aspart or glulisine.
- Draw the clear insulin (regular or rapid) first, then the cloudy NPH, so NPH never gets into the clear vial. Give the mix right away.
- Never mix glargine, degludec, Lyumjev, U-200 lispro or a premix with anything.
- NPH and premixes are cloudy suspensions: roll and invert each vial or pen about 10 times until evenly white. Glargine is clear; clear does not mean it can be mixed.
- IV: exams expect regular insulin. Humalog U-100, NovoLog and Apidra labels also allow IV use under supervision. Never give NPH, a premix, glargine or degludec IV.
Hypoglycemia: signs and the 15-15 rule
Signs: shakiness, sweating, fast heartbeat, hunger, anxiety or irritability, confusion, dizziness, headache, blurred vision; seizures if severe. Low is under 70 mg/dL; under 54 is clinically significant.
- Check the glucose (if you cannot check right away, treat the symptoms).
- Alert and able to swallow: 15 g of fast carbohydrate, such as 4 oz (½ cup) of juice or regular soda, glucose tablets or one glucose gel packet.
- Recheck in 15 minutes; repeat the 15 g if still under 70.
- Once above 70, give a meal, or a snack with protein if the next meal is not soon; insulin still acting can cause another low.
- Not alert or cannot swallow: nothing by mouth; glucagon, or IV dextrose per protocol, and call for help.
Nursing considerations
- Check the glucose before each dose and know which insulin is peaking when.
- Insulin is a high-alert drug: use an insulin syringe or pen, units only, and follow the facility's double-check policy.
- Rotate sites within one region (abdomen, thigh, upper arm, buttocks) to prevent lipodystrophy and skin amyloid lumps.
- Never share a pen, even with a new needle. Never draw U-300 glargine from a pen into a syringe.
- Insulin moves potassium into cells: watch potassium with IV insulin and in DKA.
- Teach: signs of a low, carrying fast sugar, glucagon at home, and not skipping meals after rapid insulin.
NCLEX traps
- "Which insulin can go IV?" Regular.
- "When is this client most at risk of a low?" At the peak of the insulin given.
- "Draw up regular and NPH." Clear (regular) first, then cloudy (NPH).
- "Mix glargine with lispro to save a stick." Never; glargine is not mixed.
- "Breakfast is delayed; lispro is due." Hold it until the tray arrives, or clarify.
- "Glucose 62, client alert." 15 g fast carbohydrate, recheck in 15 minutes, before calling the provider.
In depth
The one-page summary above is what the PDF prints. These sections go further.
What each label actually says
Most insulin labels show action curves and call them general guidelines rather than giving one onset, peak and duration. These are the numbers the labels do state, from studies in healthy volunteers or people with type 1 diabetes.
| Product | What the label reports |
|---|---|
| NovoLog (aspart) | Maximum effect 1–3 h after injection; duration 3–5 h |
| Humalog (lispro) | Faster onset and shorter duration than regular insulin; peak blood levels 30–90 min |
| Apidra (glulisine) | Median peak blood level 60 min, against 120 min for regular insulin |
| Fiasp (aspart) | In the blood about 2.5 min after injection; first effect about 16–20 min, peak about 1.5–2 h, back to baseline about 5–7 h depending on dose |
| Lyumjev (lispro-aabc) | First effect about 15–17 min, peak about 2–3 h, back to baseline about 4.6–7.3 h depending on dose |
| Humulin R (regular) | Onset about 30 min (10–75); maximum about 3 h (20 min to 7 h); ends about 8 h (3–14). IV: starts in 10–15 min, ends in about 4 h |
| Humulin N (NPH) | Median maximum effect 6.5 h (2.8–13) |
| Novolin N (NPH) | Effect begins about 1–2 h after injection; dose-dependent duration up to 24 h |
| Lantus (glargine U-100) | No pronounced peak; median end of effect 24 h (the end of the study), against 14.5 h for NPH |
| Toujeo (glargine U-300) | Onset develops over 6 h; full effect may not show for at least 5 days |
| Tresiba (degludec) | Effect lasted at least 42 h after the last dose; half-life about 25 h; steady state in 3–4 days |
| Humulin 70/30 | Onset about 50 min (30–90); maximum about 3.5 h (1.5–6.5); duration about 23 h (18–24) |
| Humalog Mix75/25 | Maximum effect about 2 h (1–6); activity seen to a median of 22 h |
Why charts disagree: each source measures differently (clamp studies, different doses, healthy volunteers versus people with diabetes), and larger doses last longer. Learn the order of the groups and the rough numbers; the exam tests the pattern, not a single minute value.
Basal, bolus and premixed regimens
- Basal insulin (NPH, glargine, degludec) covers the liver's glucose output between meals and overnight.
- Bolus (prandial) insulin (rapid or regular) covers the carbohydrate in a meal; a correction dose covers a high reading.
- Premixed insulins fix the ratio, so basal and mealtime parts cannot be changed separately; they are usually given twice a day before breakfast and dinner, and the client needs regular meals.
- Missed degludec dose (adults, per the label): take it when remembered, with at least 8 h between doses.
- Toujeo dose changes are made no more often than every 3–4 days because its full effect builds over days.
Hypoglycemia levels and unawareness
| Level | Definition (ADA) | Nursing focus |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Glucose under 70 and at least 54 mg/dL | Treat with 15 g carbohydrate; find the cause |
| Level 2 | Glucose under 54 mg/dL | Treat now; clinically significant |
| Level 3 | Altered mental or physical function needing help from another person, at any glucose | Glucagon or IV dextrose; safety; report |
Impaired hypoglycemia awareness means the usual warning symptoms do not appear, often after repeated lows. ADA recommends screening people at risk at least yearly and prescribing glucagon for everyone who takes insulin. Glucose is the preferred treatment; high-fat or high-protein foods slow the rise and are not first-line.
Insulin and potassium
All insulins shift potassium into cells. The labels warn that untreated hypokalemia can cause respiratory paralysis, ventricular dysrhythmias and death. With an insulin infusion or in DKA, expect frequent potassium checks and a cardiac monitor; a low potassium is reported before insulin continues, per the DKA protocol.
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Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Diabetes: How to Use Insulin (types of insulin table). Page dated May 15, 2024. Link
- Eli Lilly and Company. HUMALOG (insulin lispro) injection. Prescribing information, revised 1/2026. DailyMed. Link
- Novo Nordisk. NOVOLOG (insulin aspart) injection. Prescribing information, revised 2/2023. DailyMed. Link
- Sanofi-Aventis. APIDRA (insulin glulisine) injection. Prescribing information. DailyMed. Link
- Novo Nordisk. FIASP (insulin aspart) injection. Prescribing information, revised 6/2023. DailyMed. Link
- Eli Lilly and Company. LYUMJEV (insulin lispro-aabc) injection. Prescribing information. DailyMed. Link
- Eli Lilly and Company. HUMULIN R (insulin human) injection. Prescribing information, revised June 2023. DailyMed. Link
- Eli Lilly and Company. HUMULIN N (isophane insulin human) suspension. Prescribing information, revised 12/2025. DailyMed. Link
- Novo Nordisk. NOVOLIN N (human insulin isophane) suspension. Prescribing information, section 12.2. DailyMed. Link
- Sanofi-Aventis. LANTUS (insulin glargine) injection. Prescribing information, revised 5/2025. DailyMed. Link
- Sanofi-Aventis. TOUJEO (insulin glargine) injection 300 units/mL. Prescribing information, revised 5/2025. DailyMed. Link
- Novo Nordisk. TRESIBA (insulin degludec) injection. Prescribing information, revised 7/2022. DailyMed. Link
- Eli Lilly and Company. HUMULIN 70/30 (insulin isophane human and insulin human) suspension. Prescribing information, revised 12/2025. DailyMed. Link
- Eli Lilly and Company. HUMALOG Mix75/25 (insulin lispro protamine and insulin lispro) suspension. Prescribing information. DailyMed. Link
- American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee. 6. Glycemic Goals, Hypoglycemia, and Hyperglycemic Crises: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026. Diabetes Care. 2026;49(Suppl 1):S132. Link
- American Diabetes Association. Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Glucose): Symptoms and Treatment. Link
- Metoprolol succinate extended-release tablets. Prescribing information, section 5.6 Diabetes and Hypoglycemia. DailyMed. Link