Insulin degludec: brand names and study card

Insulin degludec — Long-acting insulin analog. Study the mechanism, listed uses and warnings from the US label on one sourced card.

Generic name: Insulin degludec
Brands: Tresiba
Class: Long-acting insulin analog
Mechanism: Lowers glucose by stimulating peripheral uptake and inhibiting hepatic output; forms multi-hexamers in subcutaneous tissue.
Used for: Glycemic control in diabetes mellitus from age 1 year
Common side effects: Hypoglycemia; Allergic reactions; Injection site reactions; Lipodystrophy; Weight gain
Warnings: Hypoglycemia, may be life-threatening; Never share pens or needles; Hypokalemia
Interactions: Other antidiabetic agents; ACE inhibitors / ARBs; Fluoxetine, MAOIs, salicylates

Drug class families: Insulins

Read the source label ↗

Label date: 20240603 · For learning, not clinical decisions. US label and brand information; always consult the current source.

Source snapshot checked: 2026-10-21. The source document and selected fields were compared. The complete card has not had an independent clinical review.

Practice

Pronunciation

Insulin degludec: IN-su-lin DEG-loo-dek

Pronunciation is shown for the US English generic name.

Other drugs in the same class

Insulins: Insulin detemir, Insulin Isophane / Insulin Regular (human), Insulin glargine, Insulin Lispro, Insulin Aspart

Body system

Endocrine · 27 Drug cards

Compare with related cards

Insulin detemir

Same class family: Insulins

Mechanism: Regulates glucose metabolism: stimulates peripheral glucose uptake and inhibits hepatic glucose production, lipolysis, proteolysis.

On both cards: Common side effects — Hypoglycemia; Allergic reactions; Injection site reactions; Lipodystrophy · Warnings — Hypoglycemia, may be life-threatening; Never share pens or needles; Hypokalemia · Interactions — Other antidiabetic agents; ACE inhibitors / ARBs; Fluoxetine, MAOIs, salicylates

Only on the Insulin detemir card: Used for — Glycemic control in adults and pediatric patients with diabetes mellitus · Common side effects — Rash / pruritus

Insulin Isophane / Insulin Regular (human)

Same class family: Insulins

Mechanism: Stimulates glucose uptake in skeletal muscle and fat and inhibits hepatic glucose production; pairs intermediate-acting insulin with faster-onset regular insulin.

On both cards: Common side effects — Hypoglycemia; Injection site reactions; Lipodystrophy; Weight gain · Warnings — Hypoglycemia, may be life-threatening; Hypokalemia

Only on the Insulin Isophane / Insulin Regular (human) card: Used for — Diabetes mellitus in adults (glycemic control) · Common side effects — Edema · Warnings — Never share pens or syringes · Interactions — Antidiabetic agents, ACE inhibitors, ARBs; Corticosteroids, atypical antipsychotics; Beta-blockers, clonidine (mask hypoglycemia)

Insulin Lispro

Same class family: Insulins

Mechanism: Lowers blood glucose by stimulating peripheral glucose uptake in muscle and fat and inhibiting hepatic glucose production.

On both cards: Common side effects — Hypoglycemia; Allergic reactions; Injection site reactions; Lipodystrophy · Warnings — Hypokalemia

Only on the Insulin Lispro card: Used for — Glycemic control in adults and pediatric patients with diabetes mellitus · Common side effects — Rash · Warnings — Hypoglycemia; Never share pens or syringes · Interactions — Antidiabetic agents, ACE inhibitors, ARBs; Fibrates, fluoxetine, MAOIs

An item counts as shared only when both cards use the same wording. If a card does not list an item, that is not a statement that the effect never occurs.