Learn more about the basics of diabetes, insulin, and more.
Diabetes Glossary
A blood test that measures average blood sugar over the past 2 to 3 months.
Adult-Onset Diabetes
Outdated term for type 2 diabetes.
Background Insulin
The insulin made by your body to keep blood sugar stable between meals and overnight. Also called "basal" insulin.
Basal Insulin
See Background Insulin.
Beta Cells
Cells in the pancreas that make insulin.
Blood Glucose
The main sugar found in the blood and the body's main source of energy. Also called blood sugar.
Blood Glucose Meter
A handheld machine that tests blood glucose levels. A drop of blood, obtained by pricking a finger, is placed on a small strip that is inserted in the meter which measures and displays the blood glucose level.
Blood Sugar
Sugar in the form of glucose in the blood. Also called blood glucose.
Blood Sugar Monitoring
Checking blood sugar (glucose) level on a regular basis in order to manage diabetes. A blood glucose meter is needed for frequent blood glucose monitoring.
Blood Sugar Level
The amount of sugar (glucose) in a given amount of blood. It is reported as the number of milligrams of glucose in a deciliter of blood, or mg/dL.
Bolus
An extra dose of rapid-acting insulin given around meals or to lower high blood sugar.
Carbohydrate
One of the three main nutrients in food. Foods that provide carbohydrates include starches, breads, vegetables, fruits, milk products, and sugars.
Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE)
A healthcare professional with expertise in diabetes education who has met eligibility requirements and successfully completed a certification exam.
Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)
An emergency condition in which extremely high blood glucose levels, along with a severe lack of insulin, result in the breakdown of body fat for energy and an accumulation of ketones (types of acid) in the blood and urine. Signs of DKA include nausea and vomiting, stomach pain, fruity breath odor, and rapid breathing. Untreated DKA can lead to coma and death.
Dose
The amount of a medicine to be taken within a given period.
Fat
One of the three main nutrients in food. Foods that provide fat include butter, margarine, salad dressing, oil, nuts, meat, poultry, fish, and some dairy products. Excess calories are stored as body fat, providing the body with a reserve supply of energy.
Fixed Dose
A specific, unchanging amount of a medicine.
Glucagon
A hormone produced by the alpha cells in the pancreas. Glucagon raises blood glucose by releasing glucose from the liver. Glucagon is also available as a shot for the treatment of severe hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
Glucose
The sugar that the body makes from the three elements of food — proteins, fats, and carbohydrates — but mostly from carbohydrates. Glucose is the major source of energy for living cells. Because glucose is carried to each cell through the blood stream, it is often called "blood sugar."
Glycogen
The form of glucose that is stored in the liver and muscles.
Hormone
A chemical produced in one part of the body and released into the blood to trigger or regulate particular functions of the body. For example, insulin is a hormone made in the pancreas that tells other cells when to use glucose for energy.
Hyperglycemia
Also called high blood sugar. Hyperglycemia can happen when the body does not have enough insulin or when the body can't use insulin properly. Symptoms may include excessive thirst, frequent urination, dry skin, blurred vision, and fatigue.
Hypoglycemia
Also called low blood sugar. Symptoms may include sweating, trembling, hunger, dizziness, moodiness, confusion, and blurred vision.
Insulin
A hormone produced in the pancreas by beta cells, which is necessary for glucose (blood sugar) to be able to enter certain cells of the body and be used for energy.
Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM)
Outdated term for type 1 diabetes.
Insulin Resistance
The body's inability to respond to and use the insulin it produces. Insulin resistance may be linked to obesity, hypertension, and high levels of fat in the blood.
Ketones
Chemical substances that are made by the body when fat is used as a fuel source instead of glucose. When ketones build up to a great extent in the body, serious illness or coma can result.
Longer-acting Insulin
Insulin that takes longer to work than rapid-acting insulin, but its duration of action (how long it works) can last up to 20 hours. Humalog Mix75/25 and Humalog Mix50/50 both contain longer-acting insulin to help keep blood glucose stable between meals.
Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM)
Outdated term for type 2 diabetes.
Pancreas
An organ located behind the lower part of the stomach that produces the hormones insulin and glucagon, and releases them into the bloodstream to help control blood sugar levels. The pancreas also produces digestive enzymes.
Protein
One of the three main nutrients in food. Foods that provide protein include meat, poultry, fish, cheese, milk, dairy products, eggs, and dried beans. Proteins are also used in the body to build cells, to create insulin and other hormones, and for other functions.
Rapid-acting Insulin
Insulin that starts to work quickly (usually within 15 minutes), with its peak activity (strongest effect) lasting only a few hours. Generally, rapid-acting insulin, like Humalog, is a mealtime insulin (except when used in an external insulin pump).
Sulfonylurea
A class of oral medicine for type 2 diabetes that lowers blood glucose. Examples include Amaryl® (glimepiride), Glucotrol® (glipizide), and Micronase® (glyburide).
Type 1 Diabetes
A condition characterized by high blood glucose levels caused by a lack of insulin production. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body's immune system destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. The pancreas then produces little or no insulin. Type 1 diabetes develops most often in young people but can appear in adults and affects 10% of people living with diabetes. People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin daily to sustain life.
Type 2 Diabetes
A condition characterized by high blood glucose levels caused by either a lack of insulin or the body's inability to use insulin efficiently. Type 2 diabetes develops most often in middle-aged and older adults but can appear in young people, and is the most common form of diabetes.
Amaryl is a registered trademark of Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Glucotrol is a registered trademark of Pfizer, Inc. Micronase is a registered trademark of Pharmacia & Upjohn Company.
Important Safety Information
Humalog, Humalog Mix75/25, and Humalog Mix50/50 are for use in patients with diabetes to control high blood sugar. Humalog should be used with a longer-acting insulin, except when used in combination with sulfonylureas in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Humalog insulins are contraindicated during episodes of hypoglycemia and in patients sensitive to Humalog or one of its excipients. The safety and effectiveness of Humalog in patients less than 3 years of age have not been established. Safety and effectiveness of Humalog Mix75/25 and Humalog Mix50/50 in patients less than 18 years of age have not been established. There are no clinical studies of the use of Humalog insulins in pregnancy or nursing mothers.
Potential side effects associated with the use of all insulins include low blood sugar, weight gain, low blood potassium, changes in fat tissue at the site of injection, and allergic reactions, both general and local. Humalog Mix75/25 and Humalog Mix50/50 should not be mixed with another insulin. Starting or changing insulin therapy should be done cautiously and only under medical supervision.
Humalog insulins are available by prescription only. See the Humalog, Humalog Mix75/25, and Humalog Mix50/50 Patient Product Information for important facts about these products.
Humalog is a registered trademark of Eli Lilly and Company. Humalog Mix75/25 and Humalog Mix50/50 are trademarks of Eli Lilly and Company.
Humalog, Humalog Mix75/25, and Humalog Mix50/50 are for use in patients with diabetes to control high blood sugar. Humalog should be used with a longer-acting insulin, except when used in combination with sulfonylureas in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Humalog insulins are contraindicated during episodes of hypoglycemia and in patients sensitive to Humalog or one of its excipients. The safety and effectiveness of Humalog in patients less than 3 years of age have not been established. Safety and effectiveness of Humalog Mix75/25 and Humalog Mix50/50 in patients less than 18 years of age have not been established. There are no clinical studies of the use of Humalog insulins in pregnancy or nursing mothers.
Potential side effects associated with the use of all insulins include low blood sugar, weight gain, low blood potassium, changes in fat tissue at the site of injection, and allergic reactions, both general and local. Humalog Mix75/25 and Humalog Mix50/50 should not be mixed with another insulin. Starting or changing insulin therapy should be done cautiously and only under medical supervision.
Humalog insulins are available by prescription only. See the Humalog, Humalog Mix75/25, and Humalog Mix50/50 Patient Product Information for important facts about these products.
Humalog is a registered trademark of Eli Lilly and Company. Humalog Mix75/25 and Humalog Mix50/50 are trademarks of Eli Lilly and Company.
