[Insulin therapy for type 1 diabetes mellitus: past and present].

Abstract

The discovery of insulin can be considered the milestone of diabetes mellitus history and a great achievement for its treatment. The first insulin available was the regular. Afterwards, Hagedorn added the protamine to the insulin, thus, creating the NPH insulin. In the 1950s an insulin free of protamine was synthesized: the lente insulin. With the advent of molecular biology, synthetic human insulin was synthesized using recombinant DNA technology. Most recently several types of insulin analogues were available, providing the patients with better metabolic control. Type 1 diabetes mellitus treatment includes plain substitution and individualization for short-acting plus long-acting insulin according to the physician's assistance, besides regular practice of physical activities and diet orientations. In type 1 diabetes mellitus the insulin of low variability is the best choice since basal/bolus insulin therapy or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion pump can mimetize the physiological release of insulin by beta cells.

• Authors: Antonio Carlos Pires, Antonio Roberto Chacra
• Journal: Arquivos brasileiros de endocrinologia e metabologia (Arq Bras Endocrinol Metabol) Vol. 52 Issue 2 Pg. 268-78 (Mar 2008) ISSN: 1677-9487 [Electronic] Brazil
• Vernacular Title: A evolução da insulinoterapia no diabetes melito tipo 1.
• PMID: 18438537 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Hypoglycemic Agents
• Insulin
• Insulin, Long-Acting
• Insulin, Isophane

Topics

• Adolescent
• Child, Preschool
• Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic
• Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 (drug therapy)
• Drug Administration Schedule
• Humans
• Hypoglycemia (drug therapy)
• Hypoglycemic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Insulin (analogs & derivatives, therapeutic use)
• Insulin, Isophane (therapeutic use)
• Insulin, Long-Acting (therapeutic use)
• Postprandial Period (drug effects)
• Time Factors
• Young Adult