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NovoLog® is a short-acting bolus insulin

Intensive Insulin Therapy

The Goal of Intensive Insulin Therapy

The goal of intensive insulin therapy is to mimic the natural pattern of insulin release from the pancreas so that your blood glucose levels can be kept close to normal. In a person who doesn't have diabetes, the liver releases a constant flow of glucose into the blood. This helps keep the body's cells functioning 24 hours a day. The pancreas responds by releasing a steady amount of insulin (basal) into the bloodstream day and night. After meals, a sudden burst of insulin (bolus) is released—enough to cover the glucose produced when the food you eat is digested.

Click on the links below to learn more about intensive insulin therapy.

How does intensive insulin therapy work?
Insulin formulations
What does intensive insulin require?
Is intensive insulin therapy right for you?

How does intensive insulin therapy work?

You may have thought that intensive insulin therapy means simply taking more insulin, but that is not the case. In fact, you may not need to increase the total amount of insulin you take. With intensive insulin therapy, you change how you take insulin to maintain good blood glucose control.

Using intensive insulin therapy means planning your insulin therapy to manage your blood glucose throughout the day and night. Your insulin plan will include:

When to take your insulin
How much insulin you need to meet bolus insulin needs at mealtime
How much insulin you need to meet basal insulin needs to manage your blood glucose between meals

Insulin formulations

Using intensive insulin therapy usually means having an insulin plan that includes taking a combination of intermediate- or long-acting insulin, together with a rapid-acting insulin analog such as NovoLog® , 3 or more times a day.

Rapid-acting insulin analogs are designed to mimic the body's natural insulin release after eating. This bolus insulin acts quickly to handle your increase in blood glucose after eating. You can take your insulin and eat within 5 to 10 minutes. Rapid-acting insulin analogs offer a flexible dosing schedule. You can adjust your insulin to your eating and exercise habits. They may also make it easy for you to adjust your dose for high or low blood glucose levels.

Intermediate- and long-acting human insulin formulations provide basal insulin to help manage your blood glucose levels between meals.

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What does intensive insulin therapy require?

Intensive insulin therapy helps you to get your insulin working in a similar fashion to that of someone without diabetes.¹ To meet this goal of near-normal blood glucose levels, you need to be able to do certain things, including1:

Personalize your medication regimen (work with your healthcare team to structure therapy for your own personal needs)
Frequently monitor blood glucose levels
Actively adjust your medication, food intake, and/or activity based on your blood glucose results
Use carbohydrate counting
Consistently communicate with your healthcare team

Is intensive insulin therapy right for you?

Discuss these questions with your doctor or diabetes care team, family, and friends. Their understanding and support can help you start and stay with your plan.

Do I want more flexibility in my meals and exercise?
Do I want to better manage my blood glucose?
Do I want to reduce my risk for the complications of diabetes?
Am I willing to inject insulin at least 3 times a day?
Am I ready to learn how to adjust my insulin dose based on my meals and activity?
Am I prepared to check my blood glucose often and regularly to help prevent hypoglycemia and to adjust my insulin dose?
Am I willing to inject insulin and test my blood glucose while away from home?

We hope you've found this overview of intensive insulin therapy helpful. For more information on intensive insulin therapy, talk with your healthcare team. Together, you can decide if intensive insulin therapy is right for you. For more information on living with diabetes, visit the helpful resources page.

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