What does NPH stand for when talking about insulin?

KMSRN · Feb 17, 2004

This was a question in class yesterday that our teacher couldn't answer. I can't find the info anywhere, so do you know what it stands for?

http://www.health-dictionary.com/diabetes_term_details/NPH_insulin

An intermediate-acting insulin; nph stands for neutral protamine hagedorn. On average, nph insulin starts to lower blood glucose within 1 to 2 hours after injection. It has its strongest effect 6 to 10 hours after injection but keeps working about 10 hours after injection. Also called n insulin.

Mint Julip · Feb 17, 2004

This was a question in class yesterday that our teacher couldn't answer. I can't find the info anywhere, so do you know what it stands for?

NPH = Neutral Protamine Hagedorn (Isophane insulin)

Carolanne · Feb 17, 2004

Your post made me remember something from our clinical -- we were learning the different types of Insulin - NPH, Regular, Lantus, etc. Whenever we drew them up, the instructor asked what type it was - long acting, rapid, etc. For the life of me I couldn't get NPH down, so I made up a mneumonic - NPH is longacting so No Particular Hurry is what got me through those clinicals! Also, I made up Lantus is Long, Regular is Rapid, Humalog is Hurry/ also fast.

Here's a really neat site that helped me a lot when we were learning Insulin injections, mixing, etc. Gives you a narrated video of demonstrations:

http://www.bddiabetes.com/us/demos/injecting.asp

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Feb 18, 2004

Carolanne, that is a neat animated demo! I just put a link to it up on my nursing site.

nekhismom · Feb 18, 2004

ahhh, insulin. Never knew what NPH stood for, either. I just knew it was long acting.