Toujeo vs. Apidra for Diabetes Type 2 and Diabetes Type 1: Important Differences and Potential Risks.

Key takeaways

Toujeo (insulin glargine) and Apidra (insulin glulisine) are both insulins used to manage both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, but they have some key differences. Toujeo is a long-acting insulin that provides consistent blood sugar control for up to 36 hours and is typically injected once a day. In contrast, Apidra is a rapid-acting insulin that starts working within 15 minutes and is usually taken before or right after meals to control blood sugar spikes. Neither medication is available in a generic form yet, but Apidra is comes in both vials and prefilled pens and can also be used in an insulin pump. Apidra can be mixed with NPH insulin, but Toujeo cannot be mixed with any other insulins. Both medications can cause low blood sugar and weight gain, but Apidra has a higher risk of causing low blood sugar due to its rapid action. Additionally, Toujeo is suitable for children as young as 6 years old, whereas Apidra can be used in children starting at age 4.

Toujeo

(insulin glargine)

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Apidra

(insulin glulisine)

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Summary for Toujeo

Prescription only

Toujeo SoloStar and Toujeo Max SoloStar are a pair of brand names for insulin glargine. It's a long-acting insulin that's used for diabetes in adults and children. This medication is a more concentrated version of insulin glargine containing 300 units/mL. Toujeo (insulin glargine) comes as prefilled pens. You inject the medication under the skin once daily. Side effects include common cold symptoms and low blood sugar.

Indications for Toujeo

Pros and Cons for Toujeo

Pros

Long-lasting insulin that provides consistent, all-day blood sugar control
Given once a day
Available as a prefilled pen
Good choice for people who need high doses of long-acting insulin
Can use in children as young as 6 years old

Cons

Must inject under the skin
Might be hard for some people to administer correctly
Has a risk of causing low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
Might cause weight gain
Can't mix with other insulins

Common Side Effects for Toujeo

Warnings for Toujeo

Risk of infections with pen sharing
Risk of changes to blood sugar levels with changes to your insulin regimen
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
Low potassium levels
Swelling and heart failure when used with certain diabetes medications
Allergic reactions

Summary for Apidra

Prescription only

Insulin glulisine is a rapid-acting insulin that's available as a vial (Apidra) and a pre-filled pen (Apidra Solostar). It's used to control blood sugar from meals for people with either Type 1 diabetes (T1D) or Type 2 diabetes (T2D). Apidra (insulin glulisine) is given under the skin as either a quick injection or continuously through an insulin pump. It can also be given as an injection through the veins (IV) for people in the hospital. Side effects include low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and common cold symptoms.

Indications for Apidra

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) in people ages 4 years and older
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) in people ages 18 years and older

Pros and Cons for Apidra

Pros

Works within 15 minutes to lower blood sugar
Available as a prefilled pen, which might be easier to use than the vial
Can be used with some insulin pumps
Can be mixed with NPH insulin (e.g., Novolin N), if instructed by your care team

Cons

Raises risk of dangerously low blood sugar levels
Given as an injection
Might need to inject multiple times a day
Might cause weight gain

Common Side Effects for Apidra

Type 1 diabetes

Common cold (11%)
Low blood sugar (up to 7%)
Upper respiratory tract infection (7%)
Headache (7%) - children only
Seizure from low blood sugar (6%) - children only
Flu (4%)

Type 2 diabetes

Upper respiratory tract infection (up to 11%)
Common cold (8%)
Swelling in the hands, ankles, or legs (8%)
Flu (6%)
Joint pain (6%)

Warnings for Apidra

Spread of infections from sharing injection supplies
Risk of high and low blood sugar levels
Dangerously low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia)
Allergic reaction
Low blood potassium levels
Swelling from fluid buildup and risk of heart failure
Dangerously high blood sugar levels or buildup of ketones (for people who use insulin pump)