I was reviewing a page on the U40/U100 conversion for posting to the main website and thought this was be a good time to go over the various terms used to describe insulin since the U40/U100 difference and the conversion to use U40 insulin in a U100 syringe has often been a subject of confusion. Eventually, this information will wind up on the main website.
Type of Insulin
Vetsulin = U40 = 40 international units of insulin in 1 mL of solution.
Novolin/Humulin NPH = U100 = 100 international units of insulin in 1 mL of solution
Filling a Syringe
Syringes are matched to the type of insulin used.
When you fill a U40 syringe with a U40 insulin, each mark on the syringe is 1 unit of insulin.
Fill the U40 syringe to the "10" mark with Vetsulin and you are injecting 10 units of insulin contained in 0.25 mLs of "insulin solution", which is insulin plus a diluent.
40u/mL divided by 4 = 10u/0.25mL
When you fill a U100 syringe with a U100 insulin, each mark on the syringe is 1 unit of insulin.
Fill the U100 syringe to the "10" mark with U100 NPH and you are injecting 10 units of insulin contained in 0.1 mLs of "insulin solution", which is insulin plus a diluent.
U100 insulin has less diluent added to it than U40 insulin so the solution is more concentrated.
Talking about Units versus Marks on a Syringe
When you match the insulin type and syringe type (U40 to U40 or U100 to U100), "marks on the syringe" and "units of insulin" or "dose of insulin" are the same thing.
10 marks on the syringe is 10 units of insulin.
It doesn't matter which insulin you are using, only that the syringe type and the insulin type are matched.
When you DO NOT match the insulin type to the syringe, "marks on the syringe" and "units of insulin" or "dose of insulin" ARE NOT THE SAME THING.
This typically comes up because there are times when it is useful to put U40 insulin in a U100 syringe.
When you do make the conversion, you...
Multiply the units of U40 insulin or dose of U40 insulin x 2.5 and
Fill the U100 syringe to mark on the syringe barrel that corresponds to the conversion.
So, for example, if your dog gets 10 units of Vetsulin per injection and you want to give that 10 units of Vetsulin in a U100 syringe, you...
Multiply 10 units x 2.5 = 25.
Then you fill the U100 syringe to the 25 mark to deliver 10 units of insulin.
Why It Matters
It is extremely important for anyone doing this conversion to understand how many "units of insulin" you are giving.
When you fill that U100 syringe to the 25 mark with Vetsulin, you are giving ONLY 10 UNITS of insulin.
Say your dog is rushed to the emergency room or you go to a new vet and they ask you how many units of insulin you are giving?
If you say 25 instead of 10, your dog is in serious jeopardy.
The emergency or new vet may not find out that there is a conversion factor involved.
So it's important to understand the difference between your dog's insulin dose (the number of units) and the strength of the solution of insulin and diluent your dog's insulin is.
While you can't really compare one insulin to another as dogs react to them all differently, a unit of one insulin is equivalent in terms of physical measurements in molecules to a unit of another type of insulin.
Natalie
Type of Insulin
Vetsulin = U40 = 40 international units of insulin in 1 mL of solution.
Novolin/Humulin NPH = U100 = 100 international units of insulin in 1 mL of solution
Filling a Syringe
Syringes are matched to the type of insulin used.
When you fill a U40 syringe with a U40 insulin, each mark on the syringe is 1 unit of insulin.
Fill the U40 syringe to the "10" mark with Vetsulin and you are injecting 10 units of insulin contained in 0.25 mLs of "insulin solution", which is insulin plus a diluent.
40u/mL divided by 4 = 10u/0.25mL
When you fill a U100 syringe with a U100 insulin, each mark on the syringe is 1 unit of insulin.
Fill the U100 syringe to the "10" mark with U100 NPH and you are injecting 10 units of insulin contained in 0.1 mLs of "insulin solution", which is insulin plus a diluent.
U100 insulin has less diluent added to it than U40 insulin so the solution is more concentrated.
Talking about Units versus Marks on a Syringe
When you match the insulin type and syringe type (U40 to U40 or U100 to U100), "marks on the syringe" and "units of insulin" or "dose of insulin" are the same thing.
10 marks on the syringe is 10 units of insulin.
It doesn't matter which insulin you are using, only that the syringe type and the insulin type are matched.
When you DO NOT match the insulin type to the syringe, "marks on the syringe" and "units of insulin" or "dose of insulin" ARE NOT THE SAME THING.
This typically comes up because there are times when it is useful to put U40 insulin in a U100 syringe.
When you do make the conversion, you...
Multiply the units of U40 insulin or dose of U40 insulin x 2.5 and
Fill the U100 syringe to mark on the syringe barrel that corresponds to the conversion.
So, for example, if your dog gets 10 units of Vetsulin per injection and you want to give that 10 units of Vetsulin in a U100 syringe, you...
Multiply 10 units x 2.5 = 25.
Then you fill the U100 syringe to the 25 mark to deliver 10 units of insulin.
Why It Matters
It is extremely important for anyone doing this conversion to understand how many "units of insulin" you are giving.
When you fill that U100 syringe to the 25 mark with Vetsulin, you are giving ONLY 10 UNITS of insulin.
Say your dog is rushed to the emergency room or you go to a new vet and they ask you how many units of insulin you are giving?
If you say 25 instead of 10, your dog is in serious jeopardy.
The emergency or new vet may not find out that there is a conversion factor involved.
So it's important to understand the difference between your dog's insulin dose (the number of units) and the strength of the solution of insulin and diluent your dog's insulin is.
While you can't really compare one insulin to another as dogs react to them all differently, a unit of one insulin is equivalent in terms of physical measurements in molecules to a unit of another type of insulin.
Natalie
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