Lantus Side Effects

Generic name: insulin glargine

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Dec 2, 2024.

Note: This document provides detailed information about Lantus.

Applies to insulin glargine: subcutaneous solution Side Effects associated with insulin glargine. Some dosage forms listed on this page may not apply specifically to the brand name Lantus.

Applies to insulin glargine: subcutaneous solution.

Precautions

Never share insulin pens or cartridges with others under any circumstances. It is not safe for one pen to be used for more than one person. Sharing needles or pens can result in transmission of hepatitis viruses, HIV, or other bloodborne illnesses.

Your doctor will want to check your progress at regular visits, especially during the first few weeks you use this medicine. Blood tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

It is very important to follow carefully any instructions from your health care team about:

• Alcohol—Drinking alcohol may cause severe low blood sugar. Discuss this with your health care team.
• Other medicines—Do not take other medicines during the time you are using insulin glargine-aglr unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This especially includes nonprescription medicines such as aspirin, and medicines for appetite control, asthma, colds, cough, hay fever, or sinus problems.
• Counseling—Other family members need to learn how to prevent side effects or help with side effects if they occur. Also, patients with diabetes may need special counseling about diabetes medicine dosing changes that might occur because of lifestyle changes, such as changes in exercise and diet. Furthermore, counseling on contraception and pregnancy may be needed because of the problems that can occur in patients with diabetes during pregnancy.
• Travel—Keep a recent prescription and your medical history with you. Be prepared for an emergency as you would normally. Make allowances for changing time zones and keep your meal times as close as possible to your usual meal times.

In case of emergency—There may be a time when you need emergency help for a problem caused by your diabetes. You need to be prepared for these emergencies. It is a good idea to:

• Wear a medical identification (ID) bracelet or neck chain at all times. Also, carry an ID card in your wallet or purse that says that you have diabetes and a list of all of your medicines.
• Keep an extra supply of insulin glargine-aglr and syringes with needles or injection devices on hand in case high blood sugar occurs.
• Keep some kind of quick-acting sugar handy to treat low blood sugar.
• Have a glucagon kit and a syringe and needle available in case severe low blood sugar occurs. Check and replace any expired kits regularly.

Too much insulin glargine-aglr can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Low blood sugar also can occur if you use insulin glargine-aglr with another antidiabetic medicine, changes in insulin regimen (eg, insulin strength, type of insulin, injection site), delay or miss a meal or snack, exercise more than usual, or drink alcohol. Symptoms of low blood sugar must be treated before they lead to unconsciousness (passing out). Different people may feel different symptoms of low blood sugar. It is important that you learn which symptoms of low blood sugar you usually have so that you can treat it quickly.

Symptoms of low blood sugar include anxiety, behavior change similar to being drunk, blurred vision, cold sweats, confusion, difficulty in thinking, dizziness or lightheadedness, drowsiness, excessive hunger, fast heartbeat, headache, irritability or abnormal behavior, nervousness, nightmares, restless sleep, shakiness, slurred speech, and tingling in the hands, feet, lips, or tongue.

If symptoms of low blood sugar occur, eat glucose tablets or gel, corn syrup, honey, or sugar cubes, or drink fruit juice, non diet soft drink, or sugar dissolved in water to relieve the symptoms. Also, check your blood for low blood sugar. Get to a doctor or a hospital right away if the symptoms do not improve. Someone should call for emergency help immediately if severe symptoms such as convulsions (seizures) or unconsciousness occur. Have a glucagon kit available, along with a syringe and needle, and know how to use it. Members of your household also should know how to use it.

This medicine may make you dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you.

Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) may occur if you do not take enough or skip a dose of your antidiabetic medicine, changes in insulin regimen, overeat or do not follow your meal plan, have a fever or infection, or do not exercise as much as usual.

Symptoms of high blood sugar include blurred vision, drowsiness, dry mouth, flushed, dry skin, fruit-like breath odor, increased urination, ketones in the urine, loss of appetite, stomachache, nausea, or vomiting, tiredness, trouble breathing (rapid and deep), unconsciousness, and unusual thirst.

If symptoms of high blood sugar occur, check your blood sugar level and then call your doctor for instructions.

This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Call your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth while you are using this medicine.

This medicine may cause low levels of potassium in your blood. Do not use medicines, supplements, or salt substitutes that contain potassium unless you have discussed this with your doctor.

Using this medicine together with other diabetes medicine (eg, thiazolidinedione [TZD] medicine) may cause serious heart problems or edema (fluid retention). Check with your doctor immediately if you are rapidly gaining weight, having chest pain or discomfort, extreme tiredness or weakness, trouble breathing, uneven heartbeat, or excessive swelling of the hands, wrist, ankles, or feet.

Serious side effects of Lantus

Along with its needed effects, insulin glargine (the active ingredient contained in Lantus) may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking insulin glargine:

Other side effects of Lantus

Some side effects of insulin glargine may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

For healthcare professionals

Applies to insulin glargine: subcutaneous solution.

General adverse events

Adverse reactions associated with insulin glargine (the active ingredient contained in Lantus) include hypoglycemia, allergic reactions, injection site reactions, lipodystrophy, pruritus, rash, edema, and weight gain.^[Ref]

Metabolic

• Very common (10% or more): Hypoglycemia
• Frequency not reported: Weight gain^[Ref]

The ORIGIN (Outcome Reduction with Initial Glargine Intervention) trial, an open-labeled, randomized study comparing insulin glargine (the active ingredient contained in Lantus) to standard care in persons 50 years or older with abnormal glucose levels (impaired fasting glucose and/or impaired glucose tolerance) or early type 2 diabetes mellitus and established cardiovascular (CV) disease or CV risk factors, found over the course of the 6 year study, severe hypoglycemia occurred in 5.7% of patients receiving insulin glargine compared to 1.9% in the standard care group. The median HbA1c values in the insulin glargine group ranged from 5.9% to 6.4% while the HbA1c values in the standard care group ranged from 6.2% to 6.6%. The incidence for all hypoglycemia was 58% and 26% in the insulin glargine and standard groups, respectively.

Weight gain has been reported with insulin therapy and has been attributed to the anabolic effects of insulin and the decrease in glucosuria. In the ORIGIN trial, the median change in body weight from baseline to the last treatment visit was 2.2 kg greater in the insulin glargine group (+1.4 kg vs -0.8 kg).^[Ref]

Local

• Common (1% to 10%): Injection site reactions, injection site pain
• Postmarketing reports: Localized cutaneous amyloidosis at the injection site^[Ref]

Injection site reactions include redness, pain, itching, hives, swelling, or inflammation. In some cases, these reactions may be caused by other factors, such as irritants in skin cleansing agents. In clinical studies, there was a higher incidence of treatment-emergent injection site pain in insulin-glargine treated patients compared to NPH-treated patients (2.7% vs 0.7%). Localized cutaneous amyloidosis at the injection site has occurred and hyperglycemia has been reported with repeated insulin injections into areas of localized cutaneous amyloidosis. Hypoglycemia has been reported with a sudden change to an unaffected injection site.^[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

• Rare (less than 0.1%): Allergic reactions^[Ref]

Hypersensitivity side effects have included both local and systemic reactions. Anaphylaxis has been reported. Local reactions have presented as erythema, local edema, and pruritus at the injection site. Most minor reactions to insulin at the injection site resolve in a few days to a few weeks.^[Ref]

Other

• Postmarketing reports: Medication errors

Medication errors, in which other insulins, particularly rapid-acting insulins, have been accidentally administered instead of this insulin, have been reported.

Cardiovascular

• Very common (10% or more): Hypertension (up to 19.6%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Peripheral edema^[Ref]

Insulin may cause sodium retention and edema, especially as metabolic control is improving. The ORIGIN (Outcome Reduction with Initial Glargine Intervention) trial, an open-labeled, randomized study in persons 50 years or older with abnormal glucose levels (impaired fasting glucose and/or impaired glucose tolerance) or early type 2 diabetes mellitus and established cardiovascular (CV) disease or CV risk factors, found the time to first occurrence of a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) and the incidence of MACE to be similar between insulin glargine (the active ingredient contained in Lantus) and standard care (n=12.537).^[Ref]

Dermatologic

• Common (1% to 10%): Lipohypertrophy
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Lipoatrophy
• Postmarketing reports: Rash urticaria^[Ref]

Postmarketing reports indicate children and adolescents may experience more skin reactions such as rash and urticaria, than adults.^[Ref]

Oncologic

• Frequency not reported: Cancer occurrence^[Ref]

The ORIGIN (Outcome Reduction with Initial Glargine Intervention) trial, an open-labeled, randomized study in persons 50 years or older with abnormal glucose levels (impaired fasting glucose and/or impaired glucose tolerance) or early type 2 diabetes mellitus and established cardiovascular (CV) disease or CV risk factors, comparing insulin glargine to standard care found the overall incidence of all types of cancer combined or death from cancers was similar between treatment groups (n=12,537). In July 2009, The US FDA reported on an ongoing safety review evaluating a possible increased risk of cancer. In February 2011, the FDA in an updated communication reported the evidence was inconclusive and it is not possible to conclude that the use of this insulin increases the risk of cancer.^[Ref]

Immunologic

• Frequency not reported: Antibody formation^[Ref]

As with all therapeutic proteins, the potential for immunogenicity exits. The detection of antibody formation is highly dependent on the sensitivity and specificity of the assay and may be influenced by assay methodology, sample handling and collection, concomitant medications, and underlying disease. The presence of insulin antibodies may increase or decrease the efficacy of insulin and may require dose adjustment.^[Ref]

Ocular

• Rare (less than 0.1%): Visual impairment, retinopathy^[Ref]

Rapid improvement in glucose control has been associated with a transitory, reversible ophthalmologic refraction disorder and worsening of diabetic retinopathy. However, long-term glycemic control decreases the risk.^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Common (1% to 10%): Gastroenteritis^[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

• Rare (less than 0.1%): Myalgia^[Ref]

Nervous system

• Common (1% to 10%): Headache
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Dysgeusia
• Frequency not reported: Peripheral neuropathy^[Ref]

Rapid improvement in glucose control has been associated with a transitory, reversible acute painful peripheral neuropathy. However, long-term glycemic control decreases the risk.^[Ref]

Respiratory

• Very common (10% or more): Upper respiratory infection (up to 22.4%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Pharyngitis, rhinitis, sinusitis^[Ref]

See also:

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Further information

Lantus side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Note: Medication side effects may be underreported. If you are experiencing side effects that are not listed, submit a report to the FDA by following this guide.

Medical Disclaimer