How to properly store insulin

Indications for the drug

The following groups of people have indications for insulin:

People suffering from type 1 diabetes, which develops from childhood and adolescence. It is an autoimmune chronic disease.
People with type 2 diabetes have an acquired pathology - a disorder of the glandular tissue of the pancreas as a result of other chronic diseases.

Expiration date of the insulin used

Insulin is a hormone of protein origin. To obtain the maximum therapeutic effect, it is necessary to avoid temperature changes during storage, otherwise the activity of the drug is reduced to a minimum, and its use does not bring the expected effect. Room temperature does not harm the medication: it retains all its beneficial properties. Most instructions state that storage at 25°C should not exceed 30 days. Under such conditions, the effectiveness of the drug is reduced by 1%. Inactivation increases 4 times when stored in hot rooms with a temperature of 35 °C.

Before using a new bottle for the first time at home, it is important to:

read the instructions;
mark the date of the first injection in a visible place on the package;
check the expiration date.

Patients often store their insulin supplies in the refrigerator and the open bottle in the room, while avoiding direct exposure to the sun. The storage location in the refrigerator is chosen away from the freezer, since at temperatures below +2°C the medicine loses its properties. At 4-8 °C the medicine can be stored until the end of use. Although insulin has a shelf life of up to 3 years, it is recommended to use older supplies first.

An unsuitable drug has 2 signs:

the appearance of the solution changes;
no effect after administration.

Insulin storage: temperature

Insulin, which is hermetically sealed, should be stored in the refrigerator door at a temperature of +2-8°C. Under no circumstances should it be frozen. Also, the preparations should not come into contact with products that have been in the freezer and have become frozen there.

Before giving the injection, you need to keep the bottle or cartridge at room temperature for 30-120 minutes. If you inject insulin that has just been taken out of the refrigerator, it can be painful. When traveling by plane, do not pack hormones and other medications in your luggage. Because during flights the temperature in the luggage compartments drops well below 0°C.

Frio: a case for storing insulin at the optimal temperature

Overheating is an even greater danger to insulin than freezing. Any temperature above 26-28°C can spoil the drug. You should not carry a pen or insulin cartridge in your shirt or pants pocket. Carry it in your bag, backpack or bag so that the medicine does not overheat due to body temperature. Protect from direct sunlight. Do not leave it in the glove compartment or trunk of a car that is parked in the sun. Keep away from radiators, radiators, electric and gas stoves.

When traveling, advanced diabetics use special cooling cases to transport insulin. Consider purchasing a case like this.

Never buy insulin from your own hands! Let us repeat that it is impossible to determine the effectiveness and quality of a drug by appearance. Spoiled insulin usually remains clear. You can only buy hormonal medications in reputable pharmacies. For the reasons stated above, even this does not always guarantee quality.

Frio case for transporting insulin: review from a diabetic

Check the exact shelf life of closed and opened cartridges in the instructions for the drugs you use. It is useful to indicate the start date on bottles and cartridges. Insulin that has been frozen, overheated, or expired should be thrown away. It cannot be used.

How to store insulin at home: basic rules and recommendations

If you need to take the drug with you, then it is worth purchasing a thermal case for it.

protect from sudden changes in temperature;
at elevated or low temperatures, use a thermal cover for transportation;
avoid freezing the bottle;
after opening, do not leave the bottle in direct sunlight;
Before use, carefully read the instructions and make a note on the packaging about the date of first administration of the drug.

How to use insulin correctly:

Check the date of manufacture and expiration date.
Inspect the solution before use. The content of sediment, flakes or grains indicates a change in the properties of the medicine. The liquid should be colorless and transparent.
When using the suspension, before the injection, the liquid in the bottle is thoroughly mixed until the solution is uniformly colored.

The most difficult task is to preserve the drug in hot weather. Sometimes in summer the temperature in apartments reaches 30 degrees, and a delicate substance in such conditions can deteriorate in a matter of hours. Storage in direct sunlight, as well as in conditions of sudden temperature changes, is especially harmful.

At home, it is worth finding a cool place, located away from electrical appliances, to avoid unnecessary heat. It is advisable to limit sun exposure to the medicine bottle. In specialized stores there are several options for modern containers that provide the ideal temperature for containing insulin.

Clever patients independently come up with thermosystems that allow them to maintain the functioning of the artificial hormone. Thermos flasks, thermal bags, various boxes lined with heat-insulating materials, etc. are used.

The strategic stock should be stored in a refrigerator at a temperature of 2–6 degrees. This is a regular shelf for food or a door away from the freezer. Frozen insulin cannot be used! Even if it looks “normal” outwardly, no one can vouch for the quality.

Regardless of the location, the general requirements for the temperature conditions for the presence of the medicine remain unchanged. In hot weather, it is very advisable to purchase a thermal bag or thermal container. In the cold season, you need to wear the drug “closer to the body” so as not to accidentally freeze it. Also, you cannot inject with a very cold solution, because this causes the formation of lipodystrophies. The cartridge stored in the refrigerator must be warmed in your hands before injection.

With a sharp temperature change, any protein coagulates. For this reason, artificial hormone should not be exposed to frequent climate changes. Additionally, on a long trip you should definitely take a new bottle with you, since a spoiled drug has very low effectiveness.

When traveling on an airplane, you should always take your medicine with you in your hand luggage. This way, it will be possible to keep the bottles from accidentally falling and control the temperature. After all, in the luggage compartment the drug can easily overheat or even freeze. The consequences can be very unpleasant, even leading to ketoacidosis.

The storage conditions for insulin are that it should not be exposed to extremely low or high temperatures, the same applies to sudden temperature changes. If this happens, the hormonal component may be inactive and therefore useless for the recovery course. Please note that:

the hormonal component optimally tolerates room temperature indicators;
manufacturers insist on storing insulin at room temperature (no more than 25–30 degrees) and no longer than four weeks;
at room temperature, insulin loses less than 1% of its strength in 30 days;
The recommended storage time for insulin is based on concerns about sterility rather than potency;
Manufacturers advise diabetics to mark the date of the first collection of the hormonal component on the label.

In order to store insulin at home correctly, you should read the instructions from the component packaging, and also pay attention to the expiration date on the package or cartridge.

It is incorrect to place the hormonal component next to the freezer, because it does not tolerate temperatures less than two degrees. It is permissible to keep reserves of sealed insulin in the refrigerator until the expiration date of the product expires. In relation to closed insulin, it usually ranges from 30 to 36 months.

Before using a new cartridge or bottle with a component, it is recommended to warm it to room temperature. To do this, it is recommended to remove it from the refrigerator two to three hours before using insulin. Injections of the refrigerated hormonal component may be painful. When talking about how to properly store insulin, pay attention to the following:

Do not expose insulin to bright light or high temperatures (for example, sunlight in a car or heat, because the component reduces its effectiveness at temperatures above 25 degrees);
at 35 degrees it becomes less active four times faster than at room temperature;
When you are in conditions where the air temperature is more than 25 degrees, it is recommended to store insulin in special refrigerated covers, containers or cases.

How to store insulin is a common question that endocrinologists often hear from their diabetics. The need for strict adherence to such recommendations is difficult to dispute; this fact is explained by the fact that the effectiveness of a drug that is vital for the patient depends on compliance with such recommendations.

Since insulin is a protein-derived hormone, exposure to low and high temperatures is detrimental to it. The medicine must be stored in the refrigerator, the maximum shelf life is 3 years.

General recommendations

What rules must be followed?

Insulin tolerates temperatures up to 30 degrees. In such conditions, the product can be stored for 4 weeks. When stored at room temperature, the active substance will lose no more than 1% of its properties within a month.

Doctors recommend that their patients mark the bottle with the date it was opened and the first draw was made. Instructions for using a particular type of insulin should be studied before use. In some cases, acceptable storage periods may differ significantly.

It is often recommended to store insulin in the refrigerator; indeed, this practice exists, but it involves storing only the main supply; the bottle used should be at room temperature.

The product cannot be frozen.

Patients should pay attention to the following rather important tips:

How to store supplies?

Diabetes mellitus is often a lifelong disease, so clinics typically provide a 30-day supply of injections. In thrifty patients, the amount of the drug may be even greater. Therefore, it is important to remember storage standards so that you do not have to dispose of cartridges that have become unusable. Conditions for storing insulin in the refrigerator:

Vials with the drug should be stored in the refrigerator.

Store unopened packages of medicine at a temperature of 4-8 °C in the refrigerator. An error in temperature conditions of 2 degrees is allowed.
Store the bottle or cartridge on the door in the medicine compartment or on the lower shelves.
After the expiration date, insulin cannot be used, despite compliance with all storage conditions.

Solution “at hand”

Regardless of whether the patient uses insulin in a pen syringe or a bottle, after opening the insulin will have to be stored from external factors. Injecting cooled insulin is accompanied by a painful effect, so the opened bottle is stored at room temperature. If the room is cool, it is recommended to place the bottle in a dark place. If you plan to get an injection at a party or at work, in winter it is better to transport the medicine in your breast pocket. After opening, the bottle retains its beneficial properties for 1-1.5 months.

How to properly store insulin

Insulin is essentially a hormone, so sudden changes in storage temperature are contraindicated. Insulin needs strictly observed storage rules. It does not tolerate freezing, but high temperatures are not suitable for it either. In all pharmacies, insulin is stored in special refrigerators. That is why it is recommended to obtain or purchase insulin in regular pharmacies, and not in online stores, to prevent its improper storage during transportation. It is also not recommended to send insulin by mail, precisely because the shipping conditions do not correspond to the recommended storage temperature.

The insulin you received at the pharmacy should be stored in the refrigerator at home. A box for storing vegetables and fruits is best suited for this. The average temperature recommended for storing insulin ranges from plus 2 to plus 6. It would be a good idea to keep a thermometer in such a box so that you can periodically check whether the refrigerator is holding the desired temperature. Never allow insulin to be frozen or overheated, as this may affect its properties. And that is why you should not buy insulin from strangers, since you will not be able to check whether they stored the insulin correctly.

If your entire supply of insulin should be stored in a cool place, then the insulin you are currently using should be at room temperature. Therefore, do not put the bottle or pen in the refrigerator, but keep it at room temperature. If you notice that you do not have enough insulin for the next injection, then remove the insulin cartridge or bottle from the refrigerator in advance so that the insulin has time to warm up before the injection. Cool insulin, fresh out of the refrigerator, will work slower than insulin at room temperature. This is important to consider, especially in the morning, when insulin itself unfolds more slowly.

Of course, diabetes is not a death sentence and people with diabetes live full, active lives, go on vacation, go hiking and play sports. For such cases, in our time, many devices are offered that help maintain the optimal temperature for insulin, preventing it from deteriorating. In almost any pharmacy, various thermal cases or thermal cases are presented to your attention. They come in different sizes - some are designed to carry one or two pens, while others can carry several packs of insulin. For these cases, you need to purchase special thermal bags, which maintain the required temperature inside the case. In such cases, insulin is protected from temperature changes, from excessively low or excessively high temperatures. Small cases can easily fit even into a small handbag, so they will not cause any inconvenience. Those who are going on vacation should pay attention to these cases. No matter how you get to your vacation destination - by plane, train or car, the case will reliably protect your insulin. A few words about transporting insulin on an airplane - check with your airline in advance whether you can carry insulin in hand luggage or whether you will have to check it in your luggage. The latter, of course, is not advisable, since the temperature of the luggage compartment may be very far from the ideal temperature for storing insulin. Speaking of vacation, make sure that the room where you are going to spend your vacation has a refrigerator. Since the southern heat will not benefit insulin at all, and staying somewhere in an unfamiliar place without the necessary supply of medicine will not add pleasant sensations. If you follow all the rules for storing insulin, you will always have a fresh drug at hand that works at full strength. And these rules are very simple:

Do not freeze insulin.
Don't overheat your insulin.
Store spare insulin in the refrigerator.
Periodically check the temperature on the refrigerator shelf.
Store the insulin in the pen you are using at room temperature.
Use thermal cases to carry and transport insulin over short and long distances.
Always purchase insulin only from licensed pharmacies, and do not buy it from strangers.

Diabetes and blood pressure surges will be a thing of the past

Diabetes is the cause of almost 80% of all strokes and amputations. 7 out of 10 people die due to blockages in the arteries of the heart or brain. In almost all cases, the reason for such a terrible end is the same - high blood sugar.

You can and should beat sugar, there is no other way. But this in no way cures the disease itself, but only helps fight the consequence, not the cause of the disease.

The effectiveness of the drug, calculated according to the standard method (the number of recovered patients to the total number of patients in a group of 100 people undergoing treatment) was:

Normalization of sugar – 95%
Elimination of vein thrombosis – 70%
Eliminate palpitations – 90%
Relief from high blood pressure - 92%
Increased vigor during the day, improved sleep at night - 97%

The shelf life of most drugs is 3 years, during which time they do not lose their properties if stored at +2 - +10°C. At room temperature, insulin can be stored for no more than a month.

Based on these requirements, we can formulate basic storage rules:

A supply of insulin should be kept in the refrigerator, preferably on the door. If you place the bottles deep into the shelf, there is a risk of partial freezing of the solution.
New packaging is removed from the refrigerator a couple of hours before use. The opened bottle is stored in a closet or other dark place.
The syringe pen is capped after each injection to prevent the insulin from being exposed to the sun.

In order not to worry about whether you will be able to get or buy insulin on time, and not to put your life at risk, it is recommended to make a 2-month supply of the medicine. Before opening a new bottle, choose the one with the shortest remaining shelf life.

Every diabetic should have short-acting insulin, even if the prescribed therapy does not include its use. It is administered in emergency cases to relieve hyperglycemic conditions.

At home

The vial of solution to be used for injection should be at room temperature. You need to choose a place for storage at home without access to sunlight - behind a cabinet door or in a medicine cabinet. Places in an apartment with frequent temperature changes are not suitable - a window sill, the surface of household appliances, cabinets in the kitchen, especially above the stove and microwave.

The date of first use of the drug is indicated on the label or in the self-monitoring diary. If 4 weeks have passed since opening the bottle and the insulin has not run out, you will have to throw it away, even if by this time it has not become weaker. This is due to the fact that the sterility of the solution is violated every time the plug is pierced, so inflammation may occur at the injection site.

It happens that diabetics, taking care of the safety of the drug, store all the insulin in the refrigerator and take it out only to give an injection. Administration of cold hormone increases the risk of complications of insulin therapy, especially lipodystrophy. This is an inflammation of the subcutaneous tissue at the injection site, which occurs due to its frequent irritation. As a result, the layer of fat in some places disappears, in others it accumulates into compactions, the skin becomes lumpy and overly sensitive.

The maximum allowed temperature for insulin is 30-35 °C. If your area is hotter in the summer, all of the medicine will need to be placed in the refrigerator. Before each injection, the solution will need to be warmed in the palms of your hands to room temperature and carefully monitored to see if its effect has worsened.

If the drug is frozen, left in the sun for a long time or overheated, it is not advisable to use it, even if the insulin has not changed in appearance. It is safer for your health to throw away the bottle and open a new one.

On the road

Rules for carrying and storing insulin outside the home:

Always take a supply of medicine with you, and check before each time you leave the house how much insulin is left in the syringe pen. Always have an alternative with you in case the delivery device malfunctions: a second pen or syringe.
To avoid accidentally breaking the bottle or breaking the syringe pen, do not put them in the outer pockets of clothes and bags, or the back pocket of trousers. It is better to store them in special cases.
During the cold season, insulin intended for use during the day should be carried under clothing, for example, in a breast pocket. In the bag, the liquid may become supercooled and lose some of its properties.
In hot weather, insulin is carried in cooling devices or next to a bottle of cold, but not frozen, water.
When traveling by car, do not store insulin in potentially hot places: in the glove compartment, on the rear shelf in direct sunlight.
In summer, you should not leave the medicine in a stationary car, as the air in it heats up above the permitted values.
If the trip does not take more than a day, insulin can be transported in a regular thermos or grocery bag. For longer movements, special devices for safe storage are used.
If you are planning a flight, the entire supply of insulin must be packed in hand luggage and taken into the cabin. You must have a certificate from the clinic with you about the drug prescribed to the diabetic and its dosage. If you use cooling containers with ice or gel, it is worth taking the instructions for the drug, which indicate optimal storage conditions.
Insulin cannot be checked in luggage. In some cases (especially on older aircraft), the temperature in the luggage compartment may drop to 0 °C, which means the drug will be spoiled.
You should not check in other necessary things in your luggage: syringes, syringe pens, glucometer. If your luggage is lost or delayed, you will not have to look for a pharmacy in an unfamiliar city and purchase these expensive items.

How to store insulin on the go

Diabetes is not a reason to deny yourself the pleasure of traveling and relaxing. Patients should strive to live a full, rich life. Of course, you should not forget about mandatory insulin therapy. The hormone can and should be taken with you on walks, trips and flights. It is better not to put bottles of medicine in a common bag or suitcase to avoid damage.

If you plan to travel by car, then it is better to put the insulin in a convenient small bag that will always be at hand. In the summer, it is better not to leave it in the car for a long time to avoid overheating. It’s great if the car is equipped with a special refrigerator. In this case, medications can be placed in it. You can use other special containers for storing the drug.

Table: “Possible ways to store insulin”

Type of container	Characteristic
Container	The most convenient way to transport storage of medicine supplies. It allows you to protect bottles from exposure to sunlight and mechanical damage. The disadvantage is the rather high cost.
Thermal bag	With the help of such a device, the ampoules will be safe at any time of the year. In winter, the bag will protect from freezing, and in summer – from overheating.
Thermal cover	An analogue of a thermal bag in more compact sizes. Its cost, accordingly, is also lower. Service life – up to 5 years.

Thermal bags and cases contain special crystals. They turn into a cooling gel after contact with water. After placing such a device under water once, insulin can be stored in it for up to 4 days.

Before going on a trip, a diabetic needs to calculate the required hormone and take it with him in double amount. All bottles should not be stored in one place; it is more rational to place them in small batches throughout all bags. This way, if one of the suitcases is lost, the patient will not be left without medicine.

If you plan to fly, you must take insulin with you into the cabin in your hand luggage. During the flight, the temperature in the luggage compartment drops well below zero. Freezing the medicine will cause it to spoil.

Reasons why insulin deteriorates

Insulin has a protein nature, so the reasons for its deterioration are largely related to the disruption of protein structures:

at high temperatures, coagulation occurs in the insulin solution - proteins stick together, fall out in the form of flakes, and the drug loses a significant part of its properties;
under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, the solution changes viscosity, becomes cloudy, and denaturation processes are observed in it;
at sub-zero temperatures, the structure of the protein changes and is not restored upon subsequent warming;
the electromagnetic field affects the molecular structure of the protein, so insulin should not be stored near electric stoves, microwave ovens, or computers;
the bottle that will be used in the near future should not be shaken, as air bubbles will get into the solution and the dose taken will be less than necessary. The exception is NPH insulin, which must be mixed well before administration. Prolonged shaking can lead to crystallization and deterioration of the medicine.

How to test insulin for suitability

Most types of artificial hormone are a completely transparent solution. The only exception is NPH insulin. You can distinguish it from other drugs by the abbreviation NPH in the name (for example, Humulin NPH, Insuran NPH) or by the line in the instructions “Clinical and pharmacological group”. It will indicate that this insulin is NPH or is an intermediate-acting drug. This insulin forms a white precipitate, which, when stirred, makes the solution cloudy. There shouldn't be any flakes in it.

Signs of improper storage of short-acting, ultra-short-acting and long-acting insulin:

film on the walls of the bottle and the surface of the solution;
turbidity;
yellowish or beige color;
white or translucent flakes;
deterioration in the effect of the drug without external changes.

Rules for storing the drug on the road

It is recommended to take with you on a trip at least a double supply of the hormonal component, designed for the required number of days. It would be best to place it in several pieces of hand luggage. This is necessary if, for example, a certain part of the luggage is lost, then the second part will be unharmed.

The rules for storing insulin also mean that when traveling by plane, it is always recommended to take the entire supply of the hormonal component with you as hand luggage. By checking it into the luggage compartment, a diabetic runs the risk of freezing it due to the extremely low temperatures in the luggage compartment during the flight. As you know, a frozen component will not be acceptable to use. In addition, it is not recommended to expose insulin to very high temperatures by leaving it in the car or on the beach in the summer.

When traveling, it is especially important to keep your insulin in a cool place where the temperature remains stable for a long period of time without any sudden fluctuations. When talking about the rules for insulin-dependent people on the road, pay attention to the fact that:

there are a significant number of specialized (cooling) cases and containers in which the hormonal component will be stored;
open insulin used at a given time should always be kept at temperatures from four to 24 degrees, no longer than 28 days;
component stocks should be kept at a temperature of about four degrees, but not near the freezer.

All the advantages and disadvantages of insulin glargine

How to warm the product

Insulin is injected subcutaneously into the abdominal wall, into the outer surfaces of the legs, thighs, or buttocks.

It is advisable to inject human fast-acting insulin or its analogue into the abdomen, since it is best absorbed only in this area of the body.

Intermediate- and long-acting insulin is injected into the thighs and buttocks - these are the places from which insulin is absorbed more slowly.

Needles are available in lengths of 6, 8, 7 and 13.2 mm.

Since insulin injections are made into subcutaneous tissue, the length of the needle depends on the thickness of the subcutaneous tissue. The needle must be individual for each patient.

The thickness of the subcutaneous tissue varies everywhere and depends on the part of the body. Accordingly, it is recommended to select insulin needles depending on the injection site.

The injection is carried out after the needle enters perpendicular to the subcutaneous tissue.

In accordance with accepted rules, after an injection, the insulin needle must be replaced with a new one.

Insulin needles are usually disposable. It should also be remembered that with each new injection, the needle gradually becomes duller. In real life, many patients use the same needle several times, replacing it only when it gets into the cartridge, or when the injections begin to cause severe pain because the needle is too dull.

After filling the syringe, a drop of insulin should appear at the top of the needle. If you constantly use one needle, then before the injection, this procedure must also be carried out.
Remember that before the injection there is no need to carry out additional disinfection of the skin.
After the injection, you should not immediately pull out the needle in order to avoid the release of insulin.
After the injection, you should wait a few seconds and then remove the needle (count to 10).
After the injection, a small amount of insulin may come out from the surface of the skin, but this is not dangerous. There is no need to be scared and do another injection.
You should not “slap” the injection site after administering insulin, as this may enhance absorption and cause hypoglycemia.
Sometimes after an injection, a drop of blood may appear - this also should not scare you. Blood after the injection may mean that you have hit small blood vessels. Blood can be easily removed with a cotton swab.
High ambient temperatures cause insulin to be absorbed quickly, which can lead to unexpected hypoglycemia. - You must keep this in mind.

Change insulin injection sites

Insulin injection sites should be changed regularly. If injections are given in one place for a long time, this can lead to excessive growth of subcutaneous tissue and the formation of adhesions and nodules on it, which can subsequently cause impaired absorption of insulin and a cosmetic defect.

Insulin injection sites must be changed all the time, according to a given schedule.

For example, insulin is injected into the right half of the body for two weeks: into the right half of the abdomen (short-acting or analogue insulin is suitable), into the right thigh (it is better to use intermediate-acting insulin).

Over the next two weeks, injections are made into the left half of the body. After this, you can change the injection site - for example, inject insulin into your right arm and right buttock.

Remember, each new injection is performed at a distance of at least “one finger” from the previous injection site.

Rules for storing insulin

Storing insulin: at what temperature is the drug stored at home?

Diabetics who use a hormonal component involuntarily wonder about its storage. Compliance with all the conditions of this process will result in high-quality and effective treatment methods. It is recommended to consult a specialist about storing insulin and follow all rules.

How to store insulin at home?

the hormonal component optimally tolerates room temperature indicators;
manufacturers insist on storing insulin at room temperature (no more than 25–30 degrees) and no longer than four weeks;
at room temperature, insulin loses less than 1% of its strength in 30 days;
The recommended storage time for insulin is based on concerns about sterility rather than potency;
Manufacturers advise diabetics to mark the date of the first collection of the hormonal component on the label.

In order to store insulin at home correctly, you should read the instructions from the component packaging, and also pay attention to the expiration date on the package or cartridge.

It is normal practice to keep supplies of the product in the refrigerator (temperature from four to eight degrees), and keep the bottle or cartridge currently used at room temperature.

It is incorrect to place the hormonal component next to the freezer, because it does not tolerate temperatures less than two degrees. It is permissible to keep reserves of sealed insulin in the refrigerator until the expiration date of the product expires.

In relation to closed insulin, it usually ranges from 30 to 36 months. It is recommended to start with an older (but by no means expired) package of the hormonal component from stock.

The shelf life of the composition must be taken into account!

Rules for storing the drug on the road

The rules for storing insulin also mean that when traveling by plane, it is always recommended to take the entire supply of the hormonal component with you as hand luggage.

By checking it into the luggage compartment, a diabetic runs the risk of freezing it due to the extremely low temperatures in the luggage compartment during the flight. As you know, a frozen component will not be acceptable to use.

In addition, it is not recommended to expose insulin to very high temperatures by leaving it in the car or on the beach in the summer.

there are a significant number of specialized (cooling) cases and containers in which the hormonal component will be stored;
open insulin used at a given time should always be kept at temperatures from four to 24 degrees, no longer than 28 days;
component stocks should be kept at a temperature of about four degrees, but not near the freezer.

Devices for transporting and storing insulin

Electric coolers powered by special rechargeable batteries are used to transport and store the hormonal component.

It is possible to retain insulin in such thermal bags and similar cases that contain special crystals. The latter always turn into a cooling gel upon contact with water.

The advantage of the presented scheme is that the coolness inside the cover will remain for several days.

How to identify unsuitable insulin?

There are only two 100% ways to understand that the hormonal component has stopped working. This is the absence of any result from the administration of the composition, in particular, there is no decrease in blood glucose levels. Another indication is a change in the appearance of the solution in the cartridge or bottle.

Among the characteristic signs indicating that the insulin has expired is that the insulin solution has become cloudy, although it should be clear.

This is also evidenced by the situation in which the insulin suspension could be uniform due to mixing, but lumps and lumps remain.

It is not recommended to use a hormonal component whose solution looks viscous, or the color of the solution or suspension has changed.

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Expiration date of the insulin used

Most instructions state that storage at 25°C should not exceed 30 days. Under such conditions, the effectiveness of the drug is reduced by 1%. Inactivation increases 4 times when stored in hot rooms with a temperature of 35 °C.

Before using a new bottle for the first time at home, it is important to:

read the instructions;
mark the date of the first injection in a visible place on the package;
check the expiration date.

Patients often store their insulin supplies in the refrigerator and the open bottle in the room, while avoiding direct exposure to the sun.

The storage location in the refrigerator is chosen away from the freezer, since at temperatures below +2°C the medicine loses its properties. At 4-8 °C the medicine can be stored until the end of use. Although insulin has a shelf life of up to 3 years, it is recommended to use older supplies first.

An unsuitable drug has 2 signs:

the appearance of the solution changes;

no effect after administration.

Insulin storage

The bottle of insulin you are currently using can be stored outside the refrigerator at a temperature no higher than 25 degrees, with the important condition that it will not be located:

on the windowsill, where it may be exposed to direct sunlight in summer, or severe cold in winter;
in cabinets above the gas stove;
near heat-emitting household appliances.

An open bottle of insulin must be used within one month. It is important to know that after this period the effectiveness of the drug decreases noticeably, and therefore it must be replaced with a new one, even in cases where most of the drug remains unused and it is a pity to throw it away.

Sometimes, although very rarely, the air temperature in summer rises to such high figures that it is impossible to store the insulin that is currently being used at home - the temperature in the apartment can reach 31-32 degrees. In this situation, opened insulin should also be stored in the refrigerator.

IMPORTANT:

It is very important not to forget to warm the insulin that has just been taken out of the refrigerator and needs to be administered to the patient.

This can be done by simply warming it in the palm of your hand for a few minutes. If you constantly administer cold insulin, foci of lipodystrophy will soon appear on the skin. You can read more about this complication of insulin therapy in this article. In addition to the development of lipodystrophy, cold administration of the drug changes its pharmacodynamics.

The maximum shelf life of insulins is 3 years. Always start using the insulin bottle or cartridge that has an older manufacturing date printed on it and therefore has fewer days left until its expiration date.

What to do with the supply of insulin that is not yet used? These bottles must be placed in the refrigerator, where the temperature is 4-5 degrees. To avoid freezing insulin, it is necessary to store it not on the shelves of the refrigerator, but on its door. If it freezes at least once, such a drug must be thrown away. Even if no changes are visible externally, the structure of its molecules has changed, and therefore the effectiveness may sharply decrease.

Why didn’t my blood sugar go down after the injection?

If the storage of insulin was carefully observed, and the injection did not affect the reduction of sugar, then in this case there is a possibility that the technique for administering the hormone was not followed.

The procedure requires complete sterility of the instruments; the injection site must be treated with an antiseptic. When using alcohol, it must be taken into account that alcohol that remains on the skin and gets on the syringe needle will completely destroy insulin. Therefore, you should wait until the alcohol has completely evaporated from the skin.
Mixing different types of insulin in one syringe leads to a weakening of the effect of its prolonged form.
Backflow of injected insulin from a puncture made when the needle is suddenly removed from the skin. This leads to a decrease in its concentration in the body.
If the syringe needle does not get into the skin fold, but into the fat layer, the effect and absorption of the injection liquid may be reduced.
The tightness of the guidance device is broken - liquid leaks out of the thin holes in the body of the syringe pen.

Why is insulin dangerous when self-medicating? Insulin abuse - exceeding the dose on your own, using an expired substance, incorrectly measuring sugar before or after meals can lead to a sudden attack of hypoglycemia.

Signs of overdose and side effects of insulin: feeling of extreme hunger, dizziness, impaired consciousness - nervousness. With a severe carbohydrate deficiency, side effects such as weakness, muscle numbness, severe fatigue, and palpitations occur. Subsequently, darkening or blackout of consciousness, convulsions, blurred vision, and decreased mental and emotional reactions occur. The worst stage of hypoglycemia is coma: there are no muscle reactions, no reflexes, and if nothing is done, death occurs.

It is also worth clearly calculating the dosage of the drug when changing the syringe, or when switching to a drug in a different form of release. It should not be used simultaneously with alcohol consumption to avoid insulin side effects.

Insulin - how to store and transport. What should a diabetic do before traveling?

People diagnosed with diabetes mellitus must use insulin regularly.

Although the disease is dangerous, patients continue to live an active life provided they follow measures to reduce the concentration of glucose in the blood with the help of peptide hormone medications.

Therapeutic substances are very capricious and sensitive to light and temperature, so it is important to know and follow the rules for storing insulin. This will allow you to use the drug without risk to health not only at home, but also when traveling.

What is insulin?

Insulin is an amino acid hormone that is produced in the cells of the endocrine pancreas. It has a diverse effect on metabolism in almost all tissues. The main function of insulin is to reduce the concentration of glucose in the blood, which is a source of energy for organisms.

In a healthy body, the release of amino acid hormone occurs constantly. In some mental and endocrine diseases, the absorption of dextrose, which is formed due to complete or relative deficiency of insulin, is impaired.

This contributes to the development of an increase in the monosaccharide content in the blood plasma (hyperglycemia). Treatment with insulin allows you to normalize carbohydrate metabolism, prevent hyperglycemia and complications of diabetes.

Insulin preparations are vital for people suffering from type I diabetes and are used in some situations for type II diabetes.

How chia seeds help fight diabetes

Have you been struggling with DIABETES for many years without success?

Head of the Institute: “You will be amazed at how easy it is to cure diabetes by taking it every day...

Chia seeds (Salvia salvia) are known for their nutritional properties, hence they can help in the treatment of various diseases, reports sibclinics.ru. Let's look at how chia seeds can help fight diabetes.

Chia grows in Central America, mainly in Mexico and Guatemala. This flowering plant was once one of the most important crops cultivated by the ancient Aztecs and Mayans, and its seeds are widely used in various forms even today.

The tiny, oval-shaped seeds can range in color from brown, gray, black to white and produce an oil that is rich in Alpha-linolenic acid, Omega-3 fatty acids. The seeds can be eaten raw, or you can cook porridge in water.

Finely ground Chia seeds are also added to breads and cakes. The health benefits of these seeds are numerous, they are rich in antioxidants, and contain an abundance of essential minerals, including phosphorus, calcium, manganese and potassium.

These seeds contain an oil that repels insects, and these seeds are generally pesticide-free.

Types of insulin: short-acting drugs

The widespread use of insulin stimulates the creation of drugs that ensure that the hormone enters the blood at different rates. Hypoglycemic agents have different classifications, but the duration of action is important for the patient.

Short-acting drugs are human genetically engineered insulin prescribed for type I and type II diabetes mellitus. Protein-peptide hormones are used both as independent agents and in combination therapy. The drug is administered subcutaneously, intramuscularly, and in some cases intravenously.

The total duration of action is 4-6 hours, the maximum effect is achieved after 1-3 hours. Once opened, the shelf life of insulin is no more than 4 hours; if unopened, it lasts 2 years. The drugs have the following trade names: “Actrapid”, “Humulin Regular”, “NovoRapid”, “Insuman Rapid”.

Drugs of the surfen-insulin group

Aminomethylquinolyl urea (surfen) is a synthetic substance that prolongs the action of insulin and imitates its basal secretion. Under the influence of the component, the solution becomes transparent and acidic. The latter quality causes local skin reactions in the form of redness and irritation.

Indications for use are diabetes mellitus in pregnant women, children, insulin resistance, lipodystrophy. The medicine is administered every 8 hours, the onset of action is 1.5 hours after subcutaneous administration. Some names of the drugs: “Homofan 100”, “Protophan”, “Monodar B”.

Storage of intermediate-acting insulin should be carried out according to the instructions - in the refrigerator at 2-8 °C. After 2 years, the product is disposed of.

Group of NPH insulins

Neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH) is obtained by adding protamine protein, zinc and phosphate buffer to a solution of short-acting insulin. The use of drugs is permitted from 2 years of age, and for some drugs - from 6 years.

This is most likely due to many side effects. Such hypoglycemic agents are indicated for lonely and visually impaired people suffering from diabetes, to whom injections are administered by a visiting nurse.

The shelf life of this group of insulin is 3 years at a temperature of 2-8 °C. The drug begins to act after 2-4 hours, the duration of action is 16-18 hours. Trade names of the drug: “Lantus”, “Lantus SoloStar”.

How to store the device?

A reusable syringe, like a disposable one, must be stored according to certain rules. First of all, room temperature indicators must be observed; it is also equally important to monitor the humidity in the room. The next most important criterion is reliable dust protection. Otherwise, the syringe pen may simply fail.

It will be no less important to create protection from exposure to direct ultraviolet rays. It is recommended to always keep the device in its case and avoid cleaning with chemicals.

A remedy for diabetes recommended by experienced DIABETOLOGIST Alexey Grigorievich Korotkevich! " read more >>>

You can store insulin in a syringe pen, namely in a used cartridge, for one month at room temperature. It is advisable to keep spare cartridges in the refrigerator compartment, but not near the freezer. It should be borne in mind that the speed of influence of the hormonal component is seriously affected by the temperature of the solution, namely, that a warm one will be absorbed much faster.

Storage methods and rules

Insulin is a drug of organic origin. To avoid negative consequences and to maintain all the therapeutic properties of the substance, you should avoid exposing it to direct sunlight and high temperatures. The hormone should not be exposed to temperature changes.

The shelf life and rules for storing insulin depend on the type of drug and its duration of action. Substances with short-acting hypoglycemic properties must be used within 4 weeks. And the shelf life of NPH insulins is 3 years.

But the basic requirements for storage conditions for all types of medicines are the same:

The drugs should be kept in the refrigerator at a temperature of +2 to +8 °C, away from the freezer - in this area the temperature is lower than required. You should not store it in the door, because when closing and opening there is a sharp temperature change in this place. It is best to place medications in the compartment (box) for vegetables and fruits.
Opened cartridges are removed from the refrigerator and stored in a dry, dark place at a constant temperature not exceeding 30 °C.
Expired insulin should be thrown away immediately to avoid accidental use.
Medicines must be inaccessible to children.

Device	Description
Container	The optimal, most common and convenient way to store a constantly used drug. The container allows for easy transportation of the medicinal composition and protects the product from direct sunlight. The only significant drawback of this solution is the high price, however, this solution has found its admirers, especially among travelers traveling to warm countries.
Thermal bag	The device helps maintain all the properties of insulin in all weather conditions. Suitable for summer heat and winter cold. Due to the internal reflectors present, it provides protection from exposure to sunlight.
Thermal cover	The list of advantages of thermal covers includes: reliability and safety, creation of optimal conditions for storing insulin, ease of use. The service life of the cover is about 5 years, its price is significantly lower when compared with the cost of a thermal bag.