Insulin therapy in diabetes

Insulin therapy is required by:

• type I insulin-dependent diabetics
  
  
• insulin-treated non-insulin-dependent diabetics:
  • type II diabetes patients who are not controlled on diet and oral medication
  • type II diabetes patients with diabetic complications
  • type II diabetes patients with an expectation of developing serious complications
    
    
• diabetics with raised glucose in the context of a myocardial infarction - the evidence for this is controversial

Insulin therapy must be titrated against diet and exercise to produce acceptable glycaemic control.

Insulin is available in a number of preparations with different pharmacokinetic properties and the daily insulin dose can therefore be given in a number of regimens, tailored on an individual basis to age, lifestyle, intelligence etc.