Multiple dose insulin regimen using the NovoPen: initial experience and approximate dose requirements.

We present our initial experience with a multiple dose per day insulin regimen using the newly developed multidose NovoPen insulin injector. Fourteen insulin dependent diabetic patients were studied, 6 with excellent control and 8 with poor control on twice a day conventional insulin injection regimens. Total insulin dosage per day remained the same on the new compared to the old regimen; 0.71 (SD) 0.22 versus 0.73 (0.23) units/kg per day. Mean blood glucose control as evidenced by HbA1% values did not alter significantly in the well controlled group, but improved significantly in the poorly controlled group. Frequency of hypoglycaemia appeared to be reduced on the multiple dose regimen in particular in two of the subjects with excellent blood glucose control. The NovoPen proved to be reliable and convenient and was well accepted by all but one subject.