How does insulin pen work?

Advantages and Disadvantages of Insulin Pens An insulin pen is an injection device that is about the size and shape of a magic marker. It delivers insulin into the fatty tissue below the skin (usually in the arm, thigh, or stomach) via a short, thin disposable needle.

Do you need to pinch the skin when using an insulin pen?

Insulin shots should go into a fatty layer of your skin (called “subcutaneous” or “SC” tissue). Put the needle straight in at a 90-degree angle. You do not have to pinch up the skin unless you are using a longer needle (6.8 to 12.7 mm). Small children or very thin adults may need to inject at a 45-degree angle.

Why do you need to prime insulin pens every time?

Priming your Pen Prime before each injection. Priming your Pen means removing the air from the Needle and Cartridge that may collect during normal use and ensures that the Pen is working correctly. If you do not prime before each injection, you may get too much or too little insulin.

What is an advantage of using insulin pens?

Insulin pen devices have several advantages over the traditional vial-and-syringe method of insulin delivery, including improved patient satisfaction and adherence, greater ease of use, superior accuracy for delivering small doses of insulin, greater social acceptability, and less reported injection pain.

Are insulin pens prefilled?

Types of insulin pens A disposable insulin pen contains a prefilled cartridge, and the entire pen is thrown away when the cartridge is empty. Reusable pens allow you to replace the insulin cartridge when it’s empty.

Where on your stomach should you inject insulin?

Abdomen. The preferred site for insulin injection is your abdomen. Insulin is absorbed more quickly and predictably there, and this part of your body is also easy to reach. Select a site between the bottom of your ribs and your pubic area, steering clear of the 2-inch area surrounding your navel.

How accurate are insulin pens?

2.2 +/- 0.4\% for syringes and pens, respectively). The accuracy in drawing up NPH doses was similar for low and high insulin doses (mean percent error of 7.5 +/- 1.5 vs. 5.6 +/- 1.1\%). CONCLUSIONS: Pen devices are more accurate than insulin syringes in measuring out insulin at low insulin doses.

Why Insulin pens are better than vials?

Insulin pens can help overcome barriers to initiating insulin therapy and can facilitate the self-management of diabetes. Compared with the vial and syringe, insulin pens are more accurate, associated with greater adherence, and preferred by patients because of their convenience and ease of use.

How many units does it take to prime an insulin pen?

To prime the insulin pen, turn the dosage knob to the 2 units indicator. With the pen pointing upward, push the knob all the way. At least one drop of insulin should appear. You may need to repeat this step until a drop appears.

Do you reuse insulin pens?

Certain insulin pens are disposable, so you can trash the pen once the insulin is gone or expired, while other pens can be reused once a new cartridge of insulin is inserted.

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