Which insulin is a long-acting form used to provide baseline insulin coverage?

Which insulin is a long-acting form used to provide baseline insulin coverage?

• A. Lispro
• B. Regular
• C. Glargine
• D. NPH

Answer: (C)

Basal insulin coverage is about providing a steady background level of insulin between meals and overnight to keep fasting glucose stable. Long-acting insulins are designed for this role because they release insulin slowly over a full day. Glargine is a long-acting insulin analog that starts acting in about 1–2 hours and provides a relatively steady insulin level for up to 24 hours with little or no pronounced peak. This makes it ideal for baseline, around-the-clock coverage. Other insulins have different roles. Lispro is rapid-acting and is used around meals to manage post-meal glucose spikes; Regular is short-acting and mainly used for mealtime or correction dosing but has a shorter, more noticeable peak; NPH is intermediate-acting and has a more variable duration with a peak, making it less ideal for smooth basal control.

Basal insulin coverage is about providing a steady background level of insulin between meals and overnight to keep fasting glucose stable. Long-acting insulins are designed for this role because they release insulin slowly over a full day. Glargine is a long-acting insulin analog that starts acting in about 1–2 hours and provides a relatively steady insulin level for up to 24 hours with little or no pronounced peak. This makes it ideal for baseline, around-the-clock coverage.

Other insulins have different roles. Lispro is rapid-acting and is used around meals to manage post-meal glucose spikes; Regular is short-acting and mainly used for mealtime or correction dosing but has a shorter, more noticeable peak; NPH is intermediate-acting and has a more variable duration with a peak, making it less ideal for smooth basal control.