Insulin inhalable AFREZZA, from the laboratory Sanofi is a medicine used in alternative treatment for diabetes, where insulin is administered through inhalation. It has a quick action, able to lower sugar levels in a short period of time, after meals, for example.
In this treatment the insulin is in the form of powder, being stored in a kind of capsule. Its aspiration is made by the mouth, then it goes to the lungs and to the bloodstream, acting as a normal insulin.
The medicine should be taken before meals, with the goal of correcting and controlling peaks of hyperglycemia, which are high blood sugar levels. But despite being less aggressive than injectable insulin, this treatment does not replace all the injections that a diabetic needs to take.
Precautions before use
All patients before using the inhaled insulin should take the spirometry exam, which measures the lung capacity of individuals.
Benefits
Inhaled insulin has several benefits for people using this treatment. The main ones are:
- Act quickly in the body;
- Keep your blood sugar levels closer to normal;
- Be less aggressive to the patient;
- Be easy to use and less embarrassing;
- Correct and control peaks of hyperglycemia;
- Does not increase the weight of patients;
It is important to note that despite all the advantages presented, inhaled insulin does not replace the treatment with injectable insulin, since these have long-term effects.
Disadvantages
Despite offering many benefits to its users, inhaled insulin also has disadvantages, the main ones are:
- It is a high cost treatment.
- It is not as effective as injectable insulin.
- The long-term effects of inhaled insulin are not yet known.
In addition, it should not be used for the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis or for people who smoke.
Contraindications
The contraindications of inhaled insulin are for smokers, people with lung diseases such as asthma and chronic bronchitis, children and pregnant women.
Individuals who smoke can not use treatment because their body absorbs the drug faster, at a greater risk of hypoglycemia. Smokers who intend to use the medicine should stop smoking and wait 6 months before they can start treatment with inhaled insulin.
Children and pregnant women should not use inhaled insulin, as studies have not evaluated the safety of the drug in these groups.
Side effects
Cough and hypoglycemia have been checked, but the long-term effects are unknown.
