Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 27, 2026

Improving IV Insulin Administration in a Community Hospital
Published on: June 11, 2012
Intravenous overdose of insulin glargine without prolonged hypoglycemic effects
Stephen Thornton1, Scott Gutovitz
1Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, San Diego Medical Center, San Diego, CA 92103-8925, USA.
Background:
Insulin glargine is a long-acting insulin that can cause prolonged hypoglycemia when misdosed or overdosed subcutaneously. There are no reports of intravenous overdoses of insulin glargine.
Objectives:
We present a case of a patient inadvertently given a large intravenous dose of insulin glargine (100 units) who had an unremarkable course.
Case Report:
A 46-year-old woman with a history of type 2 diabetes was found to be hyperglycemic and was mistakenly given an intravenous bolus of 100 units of insulin glargine. She did not become hypoglycemic, did not require parenteral dextrose, and her blood sugar readings stabilized within 3 h. She was admitted and observed for 17 h and discharged without complication.
Conclusion:
To our knowledge, this is the first report of a significant intravenous insulin glargine administration. This patient had an unremarkable course and recovered without any parenteral glucose. This case, along with prior studies on healthy volunteers, suggests that unlike subcutaneous overdoses, intravenous insulin glargine misdose/overdose may not need prolonged observation; an observation time of 6 h may be sufficient in these patients.
More Related Videos
06:59Characterization of Metabolic Status in Nonhuman Primates with the Intravenous Glucose Tolerance Test
Published on: November 13, 2016
08:13Study of In Vivo Glucose Metabolism in High-fat Diet-fed Mice Using Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) and Insulin Tolerance Test (ITT)
Published on: January 7, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Hypoglycemia and Glucagon
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Glinides
Insulin: Dosing Regimen and Adverse Effects
The basal dose constitutes about 40%-50% of the total daily dose, with the rest as premeal insulin. The mealtime insulin dose should mirror...
Insulin Formulations: Types and Delivery
Short-acting insulins are divided into rapid-acting...
Hypoglycemia
Glucagon-like Receptor Agonists
GLP-1, when administered in high doses intravenously, triggers insulin secretion, inhibits glucagon release, slows gastric emptying, reduces food intake, and restores normal insulin secretion. However, its rapid inactivation by the...