Insulin glargine for type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Insulin glargine is a biosynthetic human insulin analogue that controls blood glucose levels over 24 hours without a pronounced peak. In most studies in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), insulin glargine did not significantly reduce fasting blood glucose, fasting plasma glucose or hemoglobin A1c compared to NPH insulin. Most trials showed a statistically significant decrease in the incidence of nocturnal and symptomatic hypoglycemia. This may not be as much of a concern in most patients with type 2 DM compared to type 1 DM. Current evidence suggests that patients who are adequately controlled with NPH insulin will not gain additional benefit from insulin glargine.