Fiasp insulin (faster-acting insulin aspart) is a fairly new insulin medication manufactured by Novo Nordisk. It was first approved by the FDA in 2017 for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Fiasp insulin has the exact same active molecule as NovoLog insulin, but with an added formulation. It contains Vitamin B3 as well as L-Arginine, which is an amino acid. The Vitamin B3 helps provide a fast absorption of the insulin. The amino acid helps give stability to the formula.
Why is Fiasp Insulin Important?
For the diabetic community, Fiasp insulin is a slight improvement to the traditional fast-acting insulins. The reason being, it starts working quicker. Now, it does not work as quick as the insulin produced by the pancreas or as quick the Afrezza inhaled insulin. However, it is still an improvement.
According to Novo Nordisk, Fiasp insulin starts working within two and a half minutes. It is recommended to deliver the dose of Fiasp insulin at the beginning of a meal or up to 20 minutes after starting the meal. The insulin hits its peaks at just under an hour.
Having a rapid-acting insulin that starts working in just a few minutes means that there is a better chance of preventing a large spike in blood sugar. This is particularly beneficially to those with type 1 diabetes, and even more so for those that enjoy going out to eat.
Typically, to prevent a large spike in blood sugar, insulin is delivered about 5-15 minutes before the meal. However, at a restaurant, this can be a dangerous guessing game if you don’t know how long it will be until the food comes out. Administering the insulin too early can result in a dangerous low blood sugar. Having a rapid-acting insulin, such as Fiasp, allows you to administer the insulin at the start of the meal, which helps prevent the risk of hypoglycemia.
All in all, Fiasp insulin is important to the diabetes community, because it is a step forward and helps improve the quality of life. It provides a treatment that fits various lifestyles.
Fiasp Insulin Pump
An insulin pump provides patients with a steady dose of insulin throughout the day (basal rate), as well as provides an easy delivery of dosages for meals and corrections (bolus).
Fiasp insulin has been recently approved to be used in insulin pumps. As of right now, there is little data and research covering the use of a Fiasp insulin pump. Since Fiasp insulin works much faster than other insulins typically used in pumps, it’s important to talk to your doctor about what needs to change with the dose.
The basal rate, particularly, may need to be decreased. Discuss if your insulin to carb ratio will need to be changed, as well as the dose for a correction.
One thing to consider is that the insulin on board (IOB) may need to be changed on your pump. Fiasp insulin has a slightly shorter duration than that of NovoLog and other insulins. Changing the IOB settings on your Fiasp insulin pump will help with ensuring you are getting the right amount of insulin you need and help in keeping your blood sugar in range.
Another factor to consider when using a Fiasp insulin pump is your food consumption. You may need to split your dose for meals that are digested slowly. Since the insulin works so rapidly, administering the full dose at once may cause hypoglycemia if the meal is not digested quick enough.
Meals that are high in carbohydrates mixed with high protein and high fat will digest much slower. Give half the dose in the beginning and the other half at the end of the meal. Ask your doctor for advice before moving forward with this. If your having a meal that is high in simple carbohydrates and has a lower fat content, then the meal will be digested faster. This means that you will see it start affecting your blood sugar fairly quickly. This is where Fiasp insulin works best and where it may be useful to deliver the full dose at once.
The Cost of Fiasp Insulin
The cost of Fiasp insulin will vary depending on your pharmacy and what type of health insurance coverage you have. The price without considering insurance is around $300 for a 10mL vial and about $530 for a box of five 3mL insulin pens. You may be eligible to pay only $70.00 a month through Prescription Hope’s medication access service through Prescription Hope’s medication access service for your Fiasp insulin prescription.
Conclusion
With Fiasp insulin being relatively new and even newer to insulin pumps, more clinical studies may come out, providing more information. Fiasp insulin may not be right for everyone, so discuss with your doctor if this is right for you. As you may already know, paying for insulin can be very costly. Prescription Hope works with various pharmaceutical manufacturers and their patient assistance programs to provide you with insulin and other medications for $70.00 a month through Prescription Hope’s medication access service for each drug. Not only that, but if a patient doesn’t qualify, we’ll still help them find alternative options. We help you access coupons, discount cards, substitute medications and their programs, and more – all to help you save.
Enroll with us to find out if you are eligible.
