Actrapid Patient Counseling Information

Actrapid solution for injection in Penfill: Do not use Actrapid: In insulin infusion pumps. If you are allergic (hypersensitive) to human insulin or any of the other ingredients in Actrapid.
If you suspect hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) is starting.
If the cartridge or the device containing the cartridge is dropped, damaged or crushed.
If it has not been stored correctly or been frozen. If the insulin does not appear clear and colourless.
Before using Actrapid: Check the label to make sure it is the right type of insulin. Always check the cartridge, including the rubber stopper. Do not use it if any damage is seen or if there is a gap between the rubber stopper and the white label band. Take it back to the supplier. See the delivery system manual for further instructions.
Always use a new needle for each injection to prevent contamination.
Needles and Actrapid Penfill must not be shared.
How to use this insulin: Actrapid is for injection under the skin (subcutaneously). Always vary the sites you inject within the same region, to reduce the risk of developing lumps or skin pitting. The best places to give the patient an injection are: the front of your waist (abdomen); your buttocks; the front of your thighs or upper arms. Your insulin will work more quickly if you inject it around the waist.
How to inject this insulin: Inject the insulin under the skin. Use the injection technique advised by the doctor or nurse and described in the delivery system manual.
Keep the needle under your skin for at least 6 seconds. Keep the push button fully depressed until the needle has been withdrawn. This will ensure correct delivery and limit possible flow of blood into the needle or insulin reservoir.
After each injection, be sure to remove and discard the needle and store Actrapid without the needle attached. Otherwise the liquid may leak out which can cause inaccurate dosing.
Do not refill Actrapid Penfill.
Penfill cartridges are designed to be used with Novo Nordisk insulin delivery systems and NovoFine or NovoTwist needles. If you are treated with Actrapid Penfill and another insulin Penfill cartridge, you should use two insulin delivery systems, one for each type of insulin.
As a precautionary measure, always carry a spare insulin delivery system in case your Penfill is lost or damaged.
Actrapid solution for injection in pre-filled pen: Your FlexPen is a unique dial-a-dose insulin pen. You can select doses from 1 to 60 units in increments of 1 unit. FlexPen is designed to be used with NovoFine or NovoTwist disposable needles up to a length of 8 mm. As a precautionary measure, always carry a spare insulin delivery device in case your FlexPen is lost or damaged.
Maintenance: Your FlexPen is designed to work accurately and safely. It must be handled with care. If it is dropped or crushed, there is a risk of damage and leakage of insulin.
You can clean the exterior of the FlexPen by wiping it with a medicinal swab. Do not soak it, wash or lubricate it as it may damage the pen.
Do not refill your Actrapid FlexPen.
Preparing Actrapid FlexPen: Check the label to make sure that your Actrapid FlexPen contains the correct type of insulin: A. Pull off the pen cap.
B. Remove the protective tab from a new disposable needle. Screw the needle straight and tightly onto the FlexPen.
C. Pull off the big outer needle cap and keep it for later.
D. Pull off the inner needle cap and dispose of it. Always use a new needle for each injection to prevent contamination.
Be careful not to bend or damage the needle before use.
To reduce the risk of unexpected needle sticks, never put the inner needle cap back on when you have removed it from the needle.
Checking the insulin flow: Prior to each injection, small amounts of air may collect in the cartridge during normal use. To avoid injection of air and ensure proper dosing: E. Turn the dose selector to select 2 units.
F. Hold the FlexPen with the needle pointing upwards and tap the cartridge gently with your finger a few times to make any air bubbles collect at the top of the cartridge.
G. Keeping the needle upwards, press the push-button all the way in. The dose selector returns to 0.
A drop of insulin should appear at the needle tip. If not, change the needle and repeat the procedure no more than 6 times.
If a drop of insulin still does not appear, the pen is defective, and you must use a new one.
Selecting your dose: Check that the dose selector is set at 0: H. Turn the dose selector to select the number of units needed to inject.
The dose can be corrected either up or down by turning the dose selector in either direction until the correct dose lines up with the pointer. When turning the dose selector, be careful not to push the push-button as insulin will come out.
You cannot select a dose larger than the number of units left in the cartridge.
Do not use the residual scale to measure the dose of insulin.
Making the injection: Insert the needle into the skin. Use the injection technique shown by the doctor or nurse: I. Inject the dose by pressing the push-button all the way in until 0 lines up with the pointer. Be careful only to push the push-button when injecting.
Turning the dose selector will not inject insulin.
J. Keep the push-button fully depressed after the injection until the needle has been withdrawn from the skin.
The needle must remain under the skin for at least 6 seconds. This will ensure that the full dose has been injected.
K. Lead the needle into the big outer needle cap without touching the big outer needle cap. When the needle is covered, carefully push the big outer needle cap completely on and then unscrew the needle.
Dispose of it carefully and put the pen cap back on.
Always remove the needle after each injection and store your FlexPen without the needle attached.
Otherwise the liquid may leak out which can cause inaccurate dosing.
Caregivers should be most careful when handling used needles to avoid needle sticks.
Dispose of the used FlexPen carefully without the needle attached.
Needles and Actrapid FlexPen must not be shared.