Actraphane®

Explanation / definition

Actraphane® is a mixed insulin preparation. This means that it contains both short-acting and long-acting insulins.

The short-acting normal insulin unfolds its blood sugar-lowering effect after half an hour, while the effect of the slow-acting delay insulin is maintained for up to 24 hours.

Trade names

• Actraphane® 30 / -50, Penfill 100 IU / ml, suspension for injection in a cartridge,
  Manufacturer: Novo Nordisk

• Actraphane® 30 FlexPen, 100 IU / ml suspension for injection in a pre-filled pen,
  Manufacturer: Novo Nordisk

• Actraphane® 30 InnoLet, 100 IU / ml, suspension for injection in a pre-filled pen,
  Manufacturer Novo Nordisk

Areas of application

Actraphane® is used in the therapy of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. This includes both diabetes mellitus type I (absolute insulin deficiency) and advanced stages of type II diabetes mellitus ( relative insulin deficiency).

More information on this topic: Therapy of diabetes

Mode of action

Just like the insulin produced by the pancreas, the insulins contained in Actraphane® bind to receptors in fat and muscle cells and thus enable the glucose to be absorbed by the cells. This is what the glucose needs to cover its energy needs and to provide energy for other tissues. The normal insulin works after half an hour and shows its maximum effect after about two hours. However, it is completely broken down after six hours.

The duration of action of delay insulin, however, is twelve hours. It takes two hours to work, the maximum effect only occurs after four to six hours, but it can still be detected for 24 hours.

Actraphane® as a mixed insulin uses the advantages of both insulin variants. It works after half an hour, reaches its maximum effect after two to eight hours and lasts up to 24 hours. This enables simple intake for the patient according to a fixed injection schedule and a reduced number of injections, for example one intake twice a day, before breakfast and before dinner.

The downside, however, is that this injection regimen assumes regular meals with roughly the same amount of carbohydrates. If this is not the case, there is a risk of falling into a state of hypoglycaemia or of developing high blood sugar levels during large meals.

Also read: Medicines for diabetes mellitus

How to use

Actraphane® is usually taken two to three times a day according to a rigid injection schedule. To do this, it is applied subcutaneously (under the skin) injected. The skin is well suited for this

• Abdominal wall
• buttocks
• anterior thigh

Actraphane® is supplied either in vials, from which it is drawn up with insulin syringes before use, or as a ready-made pen, an injection pen on which the respective dosage can be set.

dosage

The dose of Actraphane is different for each patient and should always be discussed with the doctor.

The required dose depends on the age, weight, physical activity and eating habits of the patient. In general, an average of 0.3 to 1.0 international units of insulin per kilogram of body weight are injected per day. With Actraphane, the daily dose is administered with one syringe or divided into two syringes.

One milliliter of Actraphanes contains 100 international units of insulin. In the event of unusually strong physical performance or a change in eating behavior, the required dosage may change. The amount of Actraphane that has to be injected also varies with age or with diseases of the liver or kidneys. Therefore, blood sugar levels should be checked particularly frequently in these cases.

Side effects

There is a risk of Hypoglycemia (Hypoglycaemia), taking special care after Alcohol consumption or more Move is to be achieved. The general rule is to eat a high-carbohydrate meal no more than half an hour after ingestion and to pay attention to side meals.

From an interaction with the drug Pioglitazone can in rare cases a Heart failure result.

Interactions

Of the Insulin requirement the body can be affected by taking the following drugs:

• Oral antidiabetic drugs,
• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO inhibitors),
• Beta-blockers,
• Angiotensin converting enzymes (ACE) inhibitors,
• Acetylsalicylic acid,
• anabolic steroids,
• Sulfonamides,
• oral contraceptives,
• Thiazides,
• Glucocorticoids,
• Thyroid hormones,
• Beta sympathomimetics,
• Growth hormone,
• Danazol,
• Octreotide or Lanreotide

In parallel therapy with Pioglitazone (oral antidabetic drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus) it is rarely used in patients with long-standing type 2 diabetes mellitus and a history of Strokes developing a Heart failure came.

Contraindications

Actraphane® must not be taken if allergy against this insulin product or any of its ingredients, or at the first sign of one Hypoglycaemia.

price

• 30 ml suspension for injection for € 94.75
• 15 ml injection suspension for € 52.58

Types of Actraphane

Actraphane is an insulin medicine that consists of two different types of insulin. This is a readily soluble insulin that is quickly absorbed into the blood and therefore takes effect after about 30 minutes. The other insulin is less soluble; it is absorbed into the blood in small steps over the whole day and thus has a longer effect. It's called isophane insulin. This combination principle enables the basic insulin requirement to be covered throughout the day.

Actraphane 30

Actraphane 30 consists of 30% of the short-acting insulin. The remaining 70% is a slow-acting insulin. Due to this combined duration of action, Actraphane 30 usually only needs to be injected once or twice a day. A meal containing carbohydrates should be eaten 30 minutes after the injection, as the fast-acting insulin is already in the blood at this point. For this reason, Actraphane 30 is well suited for patients who want to have a main meal and then another snack and only want to inject once. Actraphane 30 is available as cartridges for a penfill, as pre-filled pens or as vials.

Actaphane 30/70

Actraphane 30/70, like Actraphane, consists of 30% of the short-acting insulin and 70% of the long-acting isophane insulin. The only difference is that Actraphane 30/70 refers to both components in the name.

Actraphane 50

Actraphane 50 is an insulin medicine that consists of half a fast-acting insulin and half a long-acting insulin. The fast-acting insulin starts to work after just 30 minutes. Therefore, a meal containing carbohydrates should be consumed half an hour after the injection. Otherwise, the effect of the insulin would be too strong at this point and hypoglycaemia could result. The meal should be larger than after injecting Actraphane 30/70, as the proportion of fast-acting insulin in Actraphane 50 is greater. On the other hand, with the same dosage, the effect is shorter than with Actraphane 30/70, as the proportion of long-acting insulin in Actraphane 50 is smaller. It is therefore more suitable for patients who want to have a larger meal and who may want to inject twice.

InnoLet

Actraphane InnoLet is a syringe that is already filled with Actraphane. This is why the syringe is called a pre-filled pen. The needle only needs to be attached before use. After each use, the needle should be closed with the larger outer protective cap and disposed of. If the content of the Actraphane InnoLet has been used up, the pre-filled pen must not be refilled but must be replaced with a new pre-filled pen.