Levemir Dosage

Important Administration Instructions

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Always check insulin labels before administration [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)].

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Visually inspect for particulate matter and discoloration. Only use LEVEMIR if the solution appears clear and colorless.

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Inject LEVEMIR subcutaneously into the thigh, upper arm, or abdomen.

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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 (5.2), Adverse Reactions (6)].

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During changes to a patient’s insulin regimen, increase the frequency of blood glucose monitoring [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)].

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Do not dilute or mix LEVEMIR with any other insulin or solution.

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Do not administer LEVEMIR intravenously or in an insulin infusion pump.

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LEVEMIR FlexPen dials in 1-unit increments.

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Use the LEVEMIR FlexPen with caution in patients with visual impairment who may rely on audible clicks to dial their dose.

General Dosing Instructions

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LEVEMIR can be administered by subcutaneous injection once or twice daily. Administer once daily doses with the evening meal or at bedtime. For twice daily dosing, administer the evening dose with the evening meal, at bedtime, or 12 hours after the morning dose.

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Individualize and titrate the dose of LEVEMIR based on the patient’s metabolic needs, blood glucose monitoring results, and glycemic control goal.

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Dose adjustments may be needed with changes in physical activity, changes in meal patterns (i.e., macronutrient content or timing of food intake), changes in renal or hepatic function or during acute illness to minimize the risk of hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)].

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In patients with type 1 diabetes, LEVEMIR must be used in a regimen with rapid-acting or short-acting insulin.

Starting Dose in Insulin Naïve Patients

Recommended Starting Dosage in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes

The recommended starting dose of LEVEMIR in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus is approximately one-third to one-half of the total daily insulin dose. The remainder of the total daily insulin dose should be administered as short-acting pre-meal insulin. As a general rule, 0.2 to 0.4 units of insulin per kilogram of body weight can be used to calculate the initial total daily insulin dose in insulin naïve patients with type 1 diabetes.

Recommended Starting Dosage in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

The recommended starting dose of LEVEMIR in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus inadequately controlled on oral antidiabetic medications or a GLP-1 receptor agonist is 10 units (or 0.1 units/kg to 0.2 units/kg) given once daily in the evening or divided into a twice daily regimen.

Switching to LEVEMIR from Other Insulin Therapies

Dosage adjustments are recommended to lower the risk of hypoglycemia when switching patients to LEVEMIR from another insulin therapy [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)].

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If converting from insulin glargine to LEVEMIR, the change can be done on a unit-to-unit basis.

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If converting from NPH insulin, the change can be done on a unit-to-unit basis. However, some patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus may require more LEVEMIR than NPH insulin, as observed in one trial [see Clinical Studies (14)].