Detemir
Insulin detemir
Long-acting man-made insulin
Insulin detemir, sold under the brand name Levemir among others, is a long-acting modified form of medical insulin used to treat both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.[6] It is used by injection under the skin.[6] It is effective for up to 24 hours.[6]
Common side effects include low blood sugar, allergic reactions, pain at the site of injection, and weight gain.[6] Use in pregnancy and breastfeeding appears safe.[7] It works by increasing the amount of glucose that tissues take in and decreasing the amount of glucose made by the liver.[6]
Insulin detemir was approved for medical use in the European Union in June 2004, and in the United States in June 2005.[5][6][8] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.[9] In 2021, it was the 117th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 5 million prescriptions.[10][11]