Basaglar
(insulin glargine)Dosage & Administration
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Basaglar Prescribing Information
BASAGLAR® is indicated to improve glycemic control in adults and pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Limitations of Use
BASAGLAR is not recommended for the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis.
Important Administration Instructions
- Always check insulin labels before administration [see Warnings and Precautions ].
- Visually inspect BASAGLAR prefilled pens for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration. Only use if the solution is clear and colorless with no visible particles.
- Administer BASAGLAR subcutaneously into the abdominal area, thigh, or deltoid, and rotate injection sites within the same region from one injection to the next to reduce the risk of lipodystrophy and localized cutaneous amyloidosis. Do not inject into areas of lipodystrophy or localized cutaneous amyloidosis [see Warnings and Precautions and Adverse Reactions ].
- During changes to a patient's insulin regimen, increase the frequency of blood glucose monitoring [see Warnings and Precautions ].
- Use BASAGLAR with caution in patients with visual impairment that may rely on audible clicks to dial their dose.
- Do not dilute or mix BASAGLAR with any other insulin or solution.
- Do not administer intravenously or via an insulin pump.
General Dosing Instructions
- In patients with type 1 diabetes, BASAGLAR must be used concomitantly with short-acting insulin.
- Inject BASAGLAR subcutaneously once daily at any time of day but at the same time every day.
- Individualize and adjust the dosage of BASAGLAR based on the individual's metabolic needs, blood glucose monitoring results and glycemic control goal.
- Dosage adjustments may be needed with changes in physical activity, changes in meal patterns (i.e., macronutrient content or timing of food intake), during acute illness, or changes in renal or hepatic function. Dosage adjustments should only be made under medical supervision with appropriate glucose monitoring [see Warnings and Precautions ].
- The BASAGLAR prefilled pens each dials in 1 unit increments and delivers a maximum dose of 80 units per injection.
Initiation of BASAGLAR Therapy
- The recommended starting dose of BASAGLAR in patients with type 1 diabetes should be approximately one-third of the total daily insulin requirements. Short- or rapid-acting, pre-meal insulin should be used to satisfy the remainder of the daily insulin requirements.
- The recommended starting dose of BASAGLAR in patients with type 2 diabetes is 0.2 units/kg or up to 10 units once daily.
Changing to BASAGLAR from Other Insulin Therapies
- If changing patients from another insulin glargine product, 100 units/mL, to BASAGLAR, the dose of BASAGLAR should be the same as the other insulin glargine product, 100 units/mL.
- If changing patients from a once-daily insulin glargine product, 300 units/mL, to once-daily BASAGLAR, the recommended initial BASAGLAR dosage is 80% of the insulin glargine product, 300 units/mL [see Warnings and Precautions ].
- If changing from a treatment regimen with an intermediate- or long-acting insulin to a regimen with BASAGLAR, a change in the dose of the basal insulin may be required.
- If changing patients from twice-daily NPH insulin to once-daily BASAGLAR, the recommended initial BASAGLAR dosage is 80% of the total daily NPH dosage [see Warnings and Precautions ].
Injection: 100 units/mL (U-100) clear and colorless solution available as:
- 3 mL single-patient-use BASAGLAR KwikPen
- 3 mL single-patient-use BASAGLAR Tempo Pen
Pregnancy
Risk Summary
Published studies with use of insulin glargine products during pregnancy have not reported a clear
association with insulin glargine products and adverse developmental outcomes (see Data). There are risks to the mother and fetus associated with poorly controlled diabetes in pregnancy (see Clinical Considerations). In animal reproduction studies, another insulin glargine product was administered to rats before, during and throughout pregnancy at doses up to 7 times the clinical dose of 10 units/day and to rabbits during organogenesis at doses approximately 2 times the clinical dose of 10 units/day. The effects of this other insulin glargine product did not generally differ from those observed with regular human insulin in rats or rabbits (see Data).
The estimated background risk of major birth defects is 6-10% in women with pre-gestational diabetes with a HbA1c >7 and has been reported to be as high as 20-25% in women with a HbA1c >10. The estimated background risk of miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. In the US general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2-4% and 15-20%, respectively.
Clinical Considerations
Disease-associated maternal and/or embryo/fetal risk
Poorly controlled diabetes in pregnancy increases the maternal risk for diabetic ketoacidosis, pre-eclampsia, spontaneous abortions, preterm delivery, and delivery complications. Poorly controlled diabetes increases the fetal risk for major birth defects, stillbirth, and macrosomia related morbidity.
Data
Human Data
Published data do not report a clear association with insulin glargine products and major birth defects, miscarriage, or adverse maternal or fetal outcomes when insulin glargine products are used during pregnancy. However, these studies cannot definitely establish the absence of any risk because of methodological limitations including small sample size and some with no comparative group.
Animal Data
Subcutaneous reproduction and teratology studies have been performed with another insulin glargine product and with regular human insulin in rats and Himalayan rabbits. This other insulin glargine product was given to female rats before mating, during mating, and throughout pregnancy at dose up to 0.36 mg/kg/day, which is approximately 7 times the recommended human subcutaneous starting dose of 10 units/day (0.008 mg/kg/day) based on mg/m2. In rabbits, doses of 0.072 mg/kg/day, which is approximately 2 times the recommended human subcutaneous starting dose of 10 units/day (0.008 mg/kg/day), based on mg/m2, were administered during organogenesis. The effects of this other insulin glargine product did not generally differ from those observed with regular human insulin in rats and rabbits. However, in rabbits, five fetuses from two litters of the high-dose group exhibited dilation of the cerebral ventricles. Fertility and early embryonic development appeared normal.
Lactation
Risk Summary
There are no data on the presence of insulin glargine in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects on milk production. Endogenous insulin is present in human milk.
The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother's clinical need for BASAGLAR and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed child from BASAGLAR or from the underlying maternal condition.
Pediatric Use
The safety and effectiveness of BASAGLAR have been established in pediatric patients (age 6 to 15 years) with type 1 diabetes based on an adequate and well-controlled trial of another insulin glargine product, 100 units/mL, in pediatric patients (age 6 to 15 years) with type 1 diabetes and additional data in adults with type 1 diabetes [see Clinical Studies ]. The safety and effectiveness of BASAGLAR in pediatric patients younger than 6 years of age with type 1 diabetes and pediatric patients with type 2 diabetes has not been established.
In the pediatric clinical trial, pediatric patients (age 6 to 15 years) with type 1 diabetes had a higher incidence of severe symptomatic hypoglycemia compared to the adults in trials with type 1 diabetes [see Adverse Reactions ].
Geriatric Use
Of the total number of subjects in clinical studies of patients with type 2 diabetes who were treated with BASAGLAR or another insulin glargine product, 100 units/mL, each in combination with oral agents in a controlled clinical trial environment, 28.3% were 65 and over, while 4.5% were 75 and over. No overall differences in safety or effectiveness were observed between these subjects and younger subjects, and other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between the elderly and younger patients, but greater sensitivity of some older individuals cannot be ruled out.
Nevertheless, caution should be exercised when BASAGLAR is administered to geriatric patients. In elderly patients with diabetes, the initial dosing, dose increments, and maintenance dosage should be conservative to avoid hypoglycemic reactions. Hypoglycemia may be difficult to recognize in the elderly.
Renal Impairment
The effect of renal impairment on the pharmacokinetics of BASAGLAR has not been studied. Some studies with human insulin have shown increased circulating levels of insulin in patients with renal failure. Frequent glucose monitoring and dose adjustment may be necessary for BASAGLAR in patients with renal impairment [see Warnings and Precautions ].
Hepatic Impairment
The effect of hepatic impairment on the pharmacokinetics of BASAGLAR has not been studied. However, as with all insulin products, more frequent glucose monitoring and dose adjustment may be necessary for BASAGLAR in patients with hepatic impairment [see Warnings and Precautions ].
BASAGLAR is contraindicated:
- During episodes of hypoglycemia [see Warnings and Precautions ].
- In patients with hypersensitivity to insulin glargine or any of the excipients in BASAGLAR [see Warnings and Precautions ].
Never Share a BASAGLAR Prefilled Pen Between Patients
BASAGLAR prefilled pens must never be shared between patients, even if the needle is changed. Sharing poses a risk for transmission of blood-borne pathogens.
Hyperglycemia or Hypoglycemia with Changes in Insulin Regimen
Changes in an insulin regimen (e.g., insulin strength, manufacturer, type, injection site or method of administration) may affect glycemic control and predispose to hypoglycemia [see Warnings and Precautions ] or hyperglycemia. Repeated insulin injections into areas of lipodystrophy or localized cutaneous amyloidosis have been reported to result in hyperglycemia; and a sudden change in the injection site (to an unaffected area) has been reported to result in hypoglycemia [see Adverse Reactions ].
Make any changes to a patient's insulin regimen under close medical supervision with increased frequency of blood glucose monitoring. Advise patients who have repeatedly injected into areas of lipodystrophy or localized cutaneous amyloidosis to change the injection site to unaffected areas and closely monitor for hypoglycemia. For patients with type 2 diabetes, dosage adjustments of concomitant anti-diabetic products may be needed.
Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia is the most common adverse reaction associated with insulins, including BASAGLAR [see Adverse Reactions ]. Severe hypoglycemia can cause seizures, may be life-threatening or cause death. Hypoglycemia can impair concentration ability and reaction time; this may place an individual and others at risk in situations where these abilities are important (e.g., driving or operating other machinery). BASAGLAR, or any insulin, should not be used during episodes of hypoglycemia [see Contraindications ].
Hypoglycemia can happen suddenly and symptoms may differ in each individual and change over time in the same individual. Symptomatic awareness of hypoglycemia may be less pronounced in patients with longstanding diabetes, in patients with diabetic nerve disease, in patients using medications that block the sympathetic nervous system (e.g., beta-blockers) [see Drug Interactions ], or in patients who experience recurrent hypoglycemia.
Risk Factors for Hypoglycemia
The risk of hypoglycemia after an injection is related to the duration of action of the insulin and, in general, is highest when the glucose lowering effect of the insulin is maximal. As with all insulins, the glucose lowering effect time course of BASAGLAR may vary in different individuals or at different times in the same individual and depends on many conditions, including the area of injection as well as the injection site blood supply and temperature [see Clinical Pharmacology ]. The risk of hypoglycemia generally increases with intensity of glycemic control. Other factors which may increase the risk of hypoglycemia include changes in meal pattern (e.g., macronutrient content or timing of meals), changes in level of physical activity, or changes to co-administered medication [see Drug Interactions ]. Patients with renal or hepatic impairment may be at higher risk of hypoglycemia [see Use in Specific Populations ].
Risk Mitigation Strategies for Hypoglycemia
Patients and caregivers must be educated to recognize and manage hypoglycemia. Self-monitoring of blood glucose plays an essential role in the prevention and management of hypoglycemia. In patients at higher risk for hypoglycemia and patients who have reduced symptomatic awareness of hypoglycemia, increased frequency of blood glucose monitoring is recommended.
The long-acting effect of BASAGLAR may delay recovery from hypoglycemia.
Hypoglycemia Due to Medication Errors
Accidental mix-ups between insulin products have been reported. To avoid medication errors between BASAGLAR and other insulins, instruct patients to always check the insulin label before each injection.
Hypersensitivity Reactions
Severe, life-threatening, generalized allergy, including anaphylaxis, can occur with insulins, including BASAGLAR. If hypersensitivity reactions occur, discontinue BASAGLAR; treat per standard of care and monitor until symptoms and signs resolve [see Adverse Reactions ]. BASAGLAR is contraindicated in patients who have had hypersensitivity reactions to insulin glargine or one of the excipients [see Contraindications ].
Hypokalemia
All insulins, including BASAGLAR, cause a shift in potassium from the extracellular to intracellular space, possibly leading to hypokalemia. Untreated hypokalemia may cause respiratory paralysis, ventricular arrhythmia, and death. Monitor potassium levels in patients at risk for hypokalemia if indicated (e.g., patients using potassium-lowering medications, patients taking medications sensitive to serum potassium concentrations).
Fluid Retention and Heart Failure with Concomitant Use of PPAR-gamma Agonists
Thiazolidinediones (TZDs), which are peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma agonists, can cause dose-related fluid retention, particularly when used in combination with insulin. Fluid retention may lead to or exacerbate heart failure. Patients treated with insulin, including BASAGLAR, and a PPAR-gamma agonist should be observed for signs and symptoms of heart failure. If heart failure develops, it should be managed according to current standards of care, and discontinuation or dose reduction of the PPAR-gamma agonist must be considered.