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albuterol vs insulin human/insulin isophane

Side-by-side comparison of albuterol and insulin human/insulin isophane. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

minor Known Drug Interaction

Drugs that May Decrease the Blood Glucose Lowering Effect of HUMULIN 70/30 Drugs: Atypical antipsychotics (e.g., olanzapine and clozapine), corticosteroids, danazol, diuretics, estrogens, glucagon, isoniazid, niacin, oral contraceptives, phenothiazines, progestogens (e.g., in oral contraceptives), protease inhibitors, somatropin, sympathomimetic agents (e.g., albuterol, epinephrine, terbutaline), and thyroid hormones.

Recommendation: Keep a close eye on your blood sugar levels and talk to your doctor about adjusting your insulin dose.

Drug Class
albuterol Short-Acting Beta-2 Agonist
insulin human/insulin isophane Intermediate-Acting Insulin Combination
Type
albuterol Prescription
insulin human/insulin isophane Prescription
Summary
albuterol

Albuterol is a drug that helps you breathe easier. It opens up your airways when they get too narrow.

insulin human/insulin isophane

Humulin 70/30 is a mix of two types of insulin. It helps control blood sugar in adults with diabetes.

What It Treats
albuterol

This medicine treats or prevents bronchospasm in adults and kids 4 years and older who have reversible obstructive airway disease. This means it helps when your airways narrow, making it hard to breathe. It can also prevent bronchospasm caused by exercise in adults and kids 4 years and older.

insulin human/insulin isophane

Humulin 70/30 is used to improve blood sugar control in adults with diabetes. Diabetes is a condition where your body does not make enough insulin or cannot use insulin properly. This medicine helps your body use sugar from the food you eat for energy.

How It Works
albuterol

Albuterol is a beta-2 agonist. It works by relaxing the muscles in your airways. This allows more air to flow in and out of your lungs.

insulin human/insulin isophane

This medicine is a mix of two insulins: one that works quickly and one that works longer. The short-acting insulin helps control blood sugar after meals. The intermediate-acting insulin works between meals and during the night.

Common Side Effects
albuterol
  • Throat irritation
  • Viral respiratory infections
  • Upper respiratory inflammation
  • Cough
  • Muscle or bone pain
insulin human/insulin isophane
  • Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
  • Allergic reactions like redness and swelling at the injection site
  • Skin changes at the injection site
  • Weight gain
FAERS Reports
albuterol
  • Difficulty breathing 15,966
  • Asthma 9,278
  • Cough 7,340
  • Pneumonia 6,990
  • Nausea 6,757
insulin human/insulin isophane
  • High blood sugar 10,557
  • Low blood sugar 3,451
  • Wrong dose given 2,164
  • Low blood sugar 1,532
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 1,473
Serious Warnings
albuterol

In rare cases, this medicine can make your bronchospasm worse. If this happens, stop using it right away and get medical help. Using too much albuterol can be fatal. If you need more albuterol than usual, your asthma may be getting worse.

insulin human/insulin isophane

Never share a Humulin 70/30 KwikPen or syringe with anyone else, even if the needle is changed. Sharing pens or syringes can spread blood-borne diseases. Changes in your insulin dose should be done carefully with your doctor's supervision. Low blood sugar can be life-threatening. Fluid retention and heart failure can occur if you also take thiazolidinediones (TZDs).

Pregnancy
albuterol

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if albuterol will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of using albuterol while pregnant or breastfeeding.

insulin human/insulin isophane

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Good control of diabetes is important during pregnancy. This medicine may pass into breast milk, but it is not expected to harm your baby.

How to Read This albuterol vs insulin human/insulin isophane Comparison

albuterol is classified in the Short-Acting Beta-2 Agonist drug class, while insulin human/insulin isophane sits within the Intermediate-Acting Insulin Combination class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, albuterol has 46,331 submissions while insulin human/insulin isophane has 19,177. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to albuterol can cause the liver to release more sugar into the blood, which reduces the effectiveness of your insulin.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between albuterol and insulin human/insulin isophane - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.

Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.