What Are the Differences Between Fiasp and Humalog?

Diabetes mellitus is a problem a lot of people live with on a daily basis – some of them suffer from it themselves; others have relatives or close friends who have to deal with it regularly. In any case, the need to at least have a basic understanding of the ways to help those with high blood sugar levels is extremely important.

In today’s article, we would like to tell you about two medical products that a commonly prescribed to patients with diabetes type 1 and type 2 – Fiasp and Humalog. Read all the essential information about these products, main similarities and dissimilarities, and other useful info you’ll indeed find interesting. Let’s start!

What is Fiasp insulin, and when can it be used?

Fiasp insulin by Novo Nordisk manufacturer belongs to fast-acting insulin type of medications. The main active substance in it is insulin aspart, which is mainly prescribed in combination with long-acting insulin for better glucose level control in the body. It also contains naturally occurring in the body amino acid – L-Arginine, which improves the stability of the medication in patients. At the beginning of the treatment with this remedy, a regular blood sugar checkup should be done and reported to a medical professional, so the correct dosage of Fiasp can be calculated individually to the patient’s health condition.

This medication can be administered to adults with type 1 diabetes, as well as type 2. Rules of the drug application claim that that it should be injected subcutaneously in the upper arm, buttocks, abdomen, or thighs right after the meal. In this way, it is possible to help control blood glucose levels that increase when a person consumes any type of meal. It can also be injected 15 minutes before eating if it is more comfortable for a patient. Please, remember, a special technique of Fiasp administration has to be demonstrated to those with diabetes by a doctor before prescribing it.

An insulin dose, type of medication, and frequency of its application have to be calculated by a professional; all recalculations caused by the changes in a diet, exercise routine, or a patient’s health conditions and well-being should also be conducted by a doctor after the consultation and test in a clinic.

Fiasp can be prescribed in the form of a vial and a syringe for the injection or an insulin pen with reusable cartridges. Insulin pumps are not typically used with a rapid-acting insulin type; however, recently, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Fiasp as a perfectly good medication for an insulin pump, so now it is much easier to control blood sugar levels and remove excess glucose from the bloodstream. Fabulous opportunity to increase the comfort of the administration process, don’t you think?

Humalog. Everything you need to know about this medication

You can see more Humalog insulin products on our website Insulin.Store

Some time ago, a French manufacturer Eli Lilly and Company, came up with medication for type 1 and type 2 diabetes – Humalog insulin (an analog to human insulin produced naturally in the body). The main ingredient and active substance in a drug’s composition is insulin lispro – a fast-acting type of insulin, which is extremely helpful in glycemic control in patients.

Humalog insulin lispro is available in different doses and variations – vials, pens with cartridges that can be changed after the medication is administered, an insulin pump, etc. (Humalog U 100 and Humalog U 200, respectively). Drugs’ doses, as well as frequency, can only be defined by a specialist in a clinic after a consultation and a blood test. A doctor should also prescribe long-acting insulin to be used in combination with a rapid-acting one.

As Humalog is mealtime insulin, it has to be applied 10-15 minutes before the meal or right after eating. In this way, it is possible to decrease blood sugars in people, which are tend to increase after consuming any type of food. A perfect spot for injection, as with all insulins, are shoulders, thighs, buttocks, and abdomen.

In case a patient has any dramatic changes in such life aspects as diet program, exercising routine, any sudden health issues, or changes in long-acting insulin, the doctor should recalculate the dose in order to avoid any possible complications or side effects in a person. Please, remember, the patient should never pick other medications or their amount without consultation with their doctor first. It is not something that can be changed quickly; the process of replacing insulin options in a recipe is pretty long and should always be made step by step. So, take care!

Fiasp vs. Humalog. Main similarities and dissimilarities

Fiasp and Humalog are that types of insulin medications that are very similar in purposes and acting principle but still cannot be switched between one another easily because of some fundamental differences that should be considered when prescribing it to somebody. We want to present all those features in a simple and understandable way, so here are lists of main peculiarities Humalog and Fiasp have in common, as well as those that differentiate them one from another.

Similarities

• The purpose. Fiasp and Humalog are insulin medications for people with diabetes mellitus type 1 and type 2 for controlling blood sugar levels;
• The working principle. Both Humalog and Fiasp are fast-acting insulin types that are always prescribed together with long-acting ones. They are meant to improve insulin absorption into the body tissues, in this way remove surplus glucose from the bloodstream of a patient;
• Form of release. These types of insulin are available in the form of a vial (in this case, a syringe is needed to administer the medication), a reusable pen with cartridges that can be changed, an insulin pump installed by the doctor;
• Side effects. We will talk about this topic in more detail in the next paragraph, but yes, side effects after using Fiasp and Humalog are pretty similar and can be facilitated with the help of the same methods.

Dissimilarities

• Manufacturer. Humalog insulin drugs are produced by a French manufacturer Eli Lilly and Company. Fiasp is a product by Novo Nordisk manufacturer from Denmark;
• Active substance. Humalog contains the combination of insulin lispro protamine and insulin lispro; Fiasp, on the other hand, is based on insulin aspart;
• Time of action. Fiasp insulin starts working in approximately 5-15 minutes, reaches its peak in 30-60 minutes, and lasts in a person’s body for 4 hours. Humalog begins to act in 15-20 minutes, its peak starts in an hour, and it can stay active for 4-5 hours (depending on a person’s body peculiarities);
• Price. Even if there are some differences in costs between Fiasp and Humalog, it will always be quite insignificant due to the similar characteristics of these two products. The prices may vary depending on the pharmaceutical supplier that provides the medication, as well as the type and dosage of the insulin drug.

Sife effects and contraindications of Humalog and Fiasp for blood sugar control

Every medication for diabetes mellitus (as, basically, all medicines that people use) can cause several side effects and ad symptoms that patients should be aware of. Most of them are not dangerous at all, but it is always a good idea to learn more about all the warnings in case any of them appear. Here, we prepared all the needed info about Humalog and Fiasp side effects and contraindications, so you won’t stress out in case any of them appear suddenly.

Side effects

• Injection site reactions. It may include redness, itching, swelling, increased skin sensitivity in the areas of administration, etc.;
• Headaches or migraines;
• Nausea, dizziness, diarrhea, or constipation;
• Increased appetite and, as followed, weight gain;
• Excessive sweating;
• Fatigue or weakness that is not typical for a patient.

Everything mentioned above can cause some inconveniences; however, those are not dangerous and can be taken under control pretty quickly. But if a person notices any of the symptoms we are about to describe, it is better not to wait and contact a medical professional right away to get a piece of medical advice, help, or proper treatment and avoid serious complications:

• Any signs of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar level);
• Seizure (convulsions);
• Severe allergic reactions;
• Irregular, fast heartbeat, tachycardia;
• Visual impairment.

If not treated on time, life-threatening complications are possible in a patient – heart problems, heart failure, and even death. That is why it is very important to take proper care of yourself and pay attention to the signs your body is trying to give you.

In case of hypoglycemia episodes, a patient cannot use insulin to improve the state of health; they should get the blood glucose levels back to normal first. It can be done in a few ways: by eating sweet snacks (a whole sugar cube, nuts, honey, etc.), drinking a sugary beverage (e.g., a diet coke won’t be a good idea because it contains low sugar levels), or taking a glucose pill (it can be bought in any pharmacy over-the-counter). In exceptionally severe cases, a doctor’s help is required to get a glucagon injection. If not take care of this problem on time, it may lead to severe health complications, heart failure, or even death. So, it is better to inform a health care provider if any signs of low blood sugar levels in the body appeared.

Contraindications

There are a few categories of patients that cannot use both Humalog and Fiasp. For those people, a doctor should prescribe an insulin-analog in order to take control over diabetes. These categories include:

• Patients with hypersensitivity or allergies to any components of the drug;
• Low blood sugar episode that is currently in progress.

For those who are younger than 18 years, as well as for women that are currently pregnant or breast feeding, a medical professional should calculate an individual dose of the medication depending on their health conditions, diseases that they may suffer from, immune system, etc.

To sum up

Both Humalog and Fiasp are outstanding medical products that are considered to be among the most popular ones on the insulin market. These medications are effective in controlling glucose levels in the blood, high blood sugar levels, as well as helping those with diabetes type 1 and 2 to live a full, happy life. We cannot tell you which one is the best simply because Humalog and Fiasp are both fabulous; however, in order to know which one is better in your case, a piece of medical advice from a professional is always required.

Hopefully, you learned some interesting information from our article. Take care of your health, and come back to our blog to learn more on the topic of diabetes and insulin. Thank you for reading, and stay safe!