Final answer:
Insulin glargine is typically administered once daily as it provides a stable baseline insulin level over 24 hours. The drug's effect is measured by blood glucose response, where insulin lowers blood glucose levels and glucagon raises them, with normal individuals returning to baseline after about 2½ hours.
Step-by-step explanation:
Insulin glargine is a long-acting insulin analogue, often administered once per day to maintain a relatively constant level of insulin in the body.
Timing for the administration of insulin glargine is generally based on individual needs and a healthcare provider's advice.
The drug acts continuously over 24 hours, providing a basal level of insulin that helps control glucose levels in persons with diabetes, particularly Type 1 (insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or IDDM) who are insulin responsive.
Unlike short-acting insulin, which may need to be injected multiple times a day, insulin glargine typically requires only once-daily dosing.
Graph-A demonstrates how in a normal person, glucose levels fall after an injection of insulin due to glucose utilization aided by insulin.
Conversely, Graph-A also shows that an injection of glucagon, not insulin, causes the blood glucose level to rise as glucose is released from the cells.
Both graphs indicate a return to baseline glucose levels after approximately 2½ hours. It must be noted, however, that if someone has a confirmed case of insulin independent diabetes mellitus, this person might have defective insulin receptors or antibodies to insulin, leading to non-responsiveness to insulin therapy.
Insulin injections, such as insulin glargine, are critical for the management of blood glucose levels, ensuring they remain within a normal range throughout the day and are particularly important following the consumption of a high-glucose meal.