User:Mr. Ibrahem/Insulin (medication)

Insulin is a protein hormone that is used as a medication to treat high blood glucose. This includes in diabetes mellitus type 1, diabetes mellitus type 2, gestational diabetes, and complications of diabetes such as diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic states. It is also used along with glucose to treat high blood potassium levels. Typically it is given by injection under the skin, but some forms may also be used by injection into a vein or muscle.

The common side effect is low blood sugar. Other side effects may include pain or skin changes at the sites of injection, low blood potassium, and allergic reactions. Use during pregnancy is relatively safe for the baby. Insulin can be made from the pancreas of pigs or cows. Human versions can be made either by modifying pig versions or recombinant technology. It comes in three main types short–acting (such as regular insulin), intermediate–acting (such as neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH) insulin), and longer-acting (such as insulin glargine).

Insulin was first used as a medication in Canada by Charles Best and Frederick Banting in 1922. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. The wholesale cost in the developing world is about US$2 to $11 per 1,000 iu (34.7 mg) of regular insulin and $2 to $11 per 1,000 iu of NPH insulin. In the United Kingdom 1,000 iu of regular or NPH insulin costs the NHS £7.50, while this amount of insulin glargine costs £31. In the United States the price was decreased to about US$35 per month as of 2024. In 2017, human insulin was the 73rd most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than ten million prescriptions.