How does long-lasting insulin work?

Question

I used to use regular short-acting insulin and would take multiple shots over a day as my blood glucose fluctuated. Now I take one shot and it lasts all day. How does that work?

In: 20

Answer 1

The long acting insulin has an affinity for itself, and forms insoluble hexamers at the injection site (at body pH). These hexamers slowly degrade into soluble dimers and monomers which enter the blood stream.