Novolin 70/30
Novolin 70/30, or Novolin 70/30 ReliOn, is a mixture of two types of insulin: 70% insulin NPH (or "isophane insulin") and 30% insulin regular. It's used to help control blood sugar levels in adults and children with diabetes. The medication comes in vials and prefilled pens (called Novolin 70/30 FlexPen). It's injected under the skin about 30 minutes before a meal. Possible side effects include reactions at the injection site and low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Novolin 70/30 is available by prescription and over the counter (OTC), but there's no generic yet.
What is Novolin 70/30?
What is Novolin 70/30 used for?
- Type 1 diabetes in adults and children
- Type 2 diabetes in adults
How Novolin 70/30 works
Novolin 70/30 contains two types of insulin. Insulin is a hormone that your body normally makes to control blood sugar levels. It helps your body absorb and store sugar from the bloodstream after a meal. Insulin also stops your liver from making glucose (sugar).
People with diabetes either can't make insulin, don't make enough insulin, or don't respond to insulin as they should. So to help control their blood sugar levels, they sometimes need insulin from an outside source, like from Novolin 70/30.
Drug facts
More on Novolin 70/30 essentials
Side effects of Novolin 70/30
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Low blood sugar
- Reactions where the medication is injected (e.g., redness, swelling, itching)
Less Common Side Effects
- Fat deposits under the skin or pitting of the skin where the medication is injected
- Weight gain
- Swelling (e.g., in the legs, ankles, or feet)
Novolin 70/30 serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Severely low blood sugar: dizziness, shakiness, feeling confused, feeling irritable or anxious, feeling faint, sweating, extreme hunger, can't think clearly
- Dangerously low potassium levels: weakness, muscle cramps or twitches, constipation, abnormal heartbeat, tiredness, trouble breathing
- Severe allergic reaction: rash; hives; swelling of the face, tongue, and throat; trouble breathing
More on Novolin 70/30 side effects
The following Novolin 70/30 side effects have also been reported
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:
- Allergic reactions—skin rash, itching, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
- Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)—tremors or shaking, anxiety, sweating, cold or clammy skin, confusion, dizziness, rapid heartbeat
- Low potassium level—muscle pain or cramps, unusual weakness or fatigue, fast or irregular heartbeat, constipation
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):
- Lipodystrophy—hardening or scarring of tissue at injection site
- Pain, redness, or irritation at injection site
- Weight gain
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Pros and cons of Novolin 70/30
Pros
- Helps manage blood sugar from meals and control blood sugar throughout the day
- Can use for children with Type 1 diabetes
- Available as a FlexPen that helps make injections easier
- Available by prescription or over the counter
Cons
- Can't customize the dose of each type of insulin in Novolin 70/30
- Must be comfortable giving yourself injections under the skin
- Can cause low blood sugar and weight gain
- Must check your blood sugar regularly
Pharmacist tips for Novolin 70/30
- Inject Novolin 70/30 under the skin 30 minutes before a meal. Eat regularly during the day, and try your best to avoid skipping meals. Changes in eating patterns can affect how much the insulin lowers your blood sugar. Injecting insulin when you haven't eaten as much food as usual can put you at risk for dangerously low blood sugar. Ask your diabetes care team about what you should do if you skip a meal.
- Ask your diabetes specialist about when you should check your blood sugar. Write down your blood sugar readings and update your care team about your readings at your follow-up visits. This helps keep track of how well Novolin 70/30 is working for you and helps check whether you need any dose adjustments.
- Make sure you and your family members can recognize symptoms of low blood sugar and know how to treat low blood sugar. Watch out for symptoms like lightheadedness, shakiness, nervousness, and irritability. Keep fast-acting sugar, such as glucose tablets, close by at all times in case your blood sugar level drops too low.
- It's best to refrigerate unopened Novolin 70/30 vials and pens. Unopened vials and pens are good to use until their expiration date. But if you need to, you can also keep unopened Novolin 70/30 at room temperature for up to 28 days (for pens) or up to 42 days (for vials).
- Keep opened Novolin 70/30 pens and vials at room temperature for up to 28 days (for pens) or up to 42 days (for vials). Don't put opened pens or vials in the refrigerator.
Tips on how to use Novolin 70/30:
- Never mix Novolin 70/30 with other insulins or other medications within the same syringe if you're injecting your insulin with a syringe.
- How to mix the insulin in the Novolin 70/30 vial: Place the vial horizontally in your hands, and roll the vial gently 10 times between your hands. After mixing, the liquid in the vial should be white and cloudy. Don't shake the vial too much because bubbles can form; you might draw up the wrong amount of medication into the syringe and take the wrong dose if this happens.
- How to mix the insulin in the Novolin 70/30 FlexPen: Slowly move the pen up and down 20 times the first time you use the pen and then at least 10 times before each following injection. The insulin should look white and cloudy after you mix it.
- How to prime the Novolin 70/30 KwikPen: Prime the pen before each injection to make sure you get the right amount of insulin when you actually inject. Turn the dose selector to "2 units." Hold the pen with the needle pointing up and tap it a few times with your finger to get air bubbles to the top. Keep the needle pointing up and press the push-button in so the dose selector goes to "0." You should see a small amount of insulin at the needle tip.
- Where to inject Novolin 70/30: Inject the insulin under the skin in the stomach area, upper legs (thighs), buttocks, or upper arms. Pick a different place within the area that you choose for every injection. This helps prevent hard lumps from forming in the skin, pitted skin, and irritated skin.
- After you inject Novolin 70/30, throw the used needle or syringe away in a sharps container or a heavy-duty plastic container (e.g., empty milk carton, laundry detergent bottle). Don't throw away injection supplies into the regular trash. This helps lower the risk of needle-stick injuries.
Common questions about Novolin 70/30
70/30 insulin contains a mixture of two types of insulin: 70% insulin NPH and 30% insulin regular. Insulin NPH is an intermediate-acting insulin, and insulin regular is a short-acting insulin. There are two brand names of 70/30 insulin, Novolin 70/30 and Humulin 70/30.
No. Novolin 70/30 and Humulin 70/30 aren't the same, but they're very similar and they can sometimes even be switched with one other in certain situations (interchangeable). Both are brand-name insulin mixtures containing 70% insulin NPH and 30% insulin regular. Although Novolin 70/30 is approved for both adults and children with diabetes, Humulin 70/30 is approved for adults with diabetes only. Also, Novolin 70/30 is typically injected 30 minutes before a meal because it takes about that long to start working. But Humulin 70/30 is injected 30 to 45 minutes before a meal because it can take about an hour for the medication to kick in. Finally, they have different specific storage requirements (refrigerated or room temperature) and specific times that each product is good for once you open the vial or pen. Talk to your diabetes care team about these storage requirements and about comparing Novolin 70/30 to Humulin 70/30.
Novolin 70/30 contains the same insulin that's in Novolin N, which is insulin NPH. Insulin NPH helps manage blood sugar levels throughout the day. But Novolin 70/30 also contains another type of insulin called insulin regular, a kind of mealtime insulin that helps prevent blood sugar spikes from meals. Since Novolin N contains insulin NPH only, Novolin N isn't a mealtime insulin that can help control your blood sugar levels that's coming from food. Speak with your diabetes specialist to learn more about comparing between Novolin N and Novolin 70/30.
Novolin 70/30 starts to work to lower your blood sugar level about 30 minutes after it's injected. This is why Novolin 70/30 is typically injected 30 minutes before a meal. Additionally, the blood sugar-lowering effects of Novolin 70/30 can last anywhere between 12 hours and up to 24 hours. Keep in mind that the actual time it takes for Novolin 70/30 to start to work and for the effects to last can differ from person to person. Work with your diabetes specialist to find an insulin routine that works best for you.
Your diabetes specialist will give you specific instructions on how much Novolin 70/30 to inject and when to inject it throughout the day. The amount of Novolin 70/30 that's needed for each dose is different for every person because it depends on many things. Some of these things include your blood sugar levels, the way your body reacts to insulin, your age, your weight, and your diet. It also depends on what other diabetes medications you're taking and how much of a risk you have for dangerously low blood sugar. Ask your prescriber if you're not completely sure how much Novolin 70/30 to give yourself.
Yes, Novolin 70/30 is available over the counter. You'll need to go to the pharmacy counter to get it, though, since Novolin 70/30 must be refrigerated and safely stored in the pharmacy. You don't have to have a prescription from a healthcare professional for Novolin 70/30. Only use Novolin 70/30 if your diabetes specialist recommends it.
Yes, Novolin 70/30 comes in a prefilled pen. The prefilled pen is called Novolin 70/30 FlexPen. With the pen, you don't need to draw up the insulin from the vial and into a syringe yourself. And the pen makes it easier to inject the medication than the vial.
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Risks and warnings for Novolin 70/30
Novolin 70/30 can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Risk of infections from sharing injection supplies
Never share Novolin 70/30 pens, any syringes, or any needles with anyone else. Sharing Novolin 70/30 and other injection supplies with someone can raise the risk of spreading very dangerous infections to each other.
Risk of changes to blood sugar levels with changes to your insulin regimen
- Risk factors: Changes in insulin strength | Changes in type of insulins you take | Change in insulin brand-name products | Changes in injection site
Changing your insulin or insulin routine, such as where you inject Novolin 70/30 or switching to a different brand name of your insulins, can affect how your body responds to insulin. This can lead to either high or low blood sugar levels. In addition, injecting Novolin 70/30 repeatedly into areas of skin that show signs of lipodystrophy, such as pitting or thickened skin, can result in high blood sugar levels.
Be sure to check your blood sugar levels more often if your diabetes care team instructs you to make certain changes to your insulin or insulin routine. This helps you see how the changes affect your blood sugar levels. Don't make changes to your Novolin 70/30 dose or routine without first checking with your diabetes care team.
Dangerously low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia)
- Risk factors: Changes in diet and exercise | Drinking alcohol | Taking other diabetes medications with Novolin 70/30 | Liver or kidney problems
Novolin 70/30 can cause hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar levels. When your blood sugar level is too low, it can be dangerous and even life-threatening, especially if it's not treated in time. Check your blood sugar level regularly to make sure it's within a safe range.
Double check that you're taking the correct insulin at the right time by reading the label of the insulins you have if you're prescribed multiple types of insulins. This helps prevent accidental mix-ups between your insulin products and possible low blood sugar.
Let your diabetes care team know if you make any changes to your diet or meal patterns, other medications, or amount of exercise you do. These changes can affect your blood sugar levels, so your care team might need to adjust the dose of Novolin 70/30 and your other diabetes medications.
Know how to recognize symptoms of hypoglycemia, such as feeling shaky, being nervous or anxious, sweating, having body chills, and being very hungry. Keep fast-acting sugars, such as glucose tablets, close by at all times so you can treat hypoglycemia quickly. Get medical help right away if your blood sugar levels don't improve even after you try to treat it.
Low blood potassium levels
- Risk factors: Taking other medications that lower potassium levels
Novolin 70/30 can lower your potassium levels, which can sometimes be dangerous. You're at greater risk if you're already taking medications that lower your potassium, like certain diuretics (water pills). If needed, your prescriber might check your potassium levels regularly and give you medications to keep your potassium in the normal range. Tell your prescriber if you have symptoms of low potassium, such as weakness, muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting, or abnormal heartbeats, while you're taking Novolin 70/30.
Swelling from fluid buildup and risk of heart failure when taken with certain diabetes medications
- Risk factors: Taking glitazones together with insulin | History of heart failure
Taking Novolin 70/30 with medications called glitazones (also known as thiazolidinediones), like pioglitazone (Actos), can cause your body to hold onto fluid. This can lead to or worsen heart failure because the additional fluid can put stress on the heart. Contact your prescriber if you notice symptoms of fluid buildup or heart failure, such as sudden weight gain, swelling, trouble breathing, and tiredness. Your prescriber might need to make changes to your diabetes treatment.
Novolin 70/30 dosage
Typical dosage for Novolin 70/30
Your diabetes care team will determine your dose of Novolin 70/30 based on several factors, such as your blood sugar levels and your body weight.
In general, Novolin 70/30 is injected under the skin about 30 minutes before a meal. It's typically injected twice per day, with each dose meant to manage blood sugar levels from 2 meals or a meal and a snack.
Novolin 70/30 is injected into the fatty tissue of the stomach, thigh, upper arm, or buttocks.
How much does Novolin 70/30 cost?
$21.46
Novolin 70/30 contraindications
Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a person should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If you have any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to you, let your healthcare provider know because Novolin 70/30 will not be safe for you to take.
- Use during episodes of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
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