Background:

Insulin was first licensed for human use in 1922. Since then, numerous formulations with various similar names have been produced and marketed. Because the names of the different drugs are often very similar (novolin vs novalog) it can difficult for emergency providers to keep all of the agents straight. In this post, we discuss the categories of insulins, the nomenclature and the pharmacokinetics of the most commonly used agents.

Thank you to the St. John’s pharmacy students for their incredible work in compiling the information shared below.