insulin detemir vs insulin glargine
Side-by-side comparison of insulin detemir and insulin glargine Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Levemir
Lantus, Basaglar, Toujeo
Levemir is a long-acting insulin that helps control blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. It works slowly over about 24 hours to keep your blood sugar stable.
Basaglar is a long-acting insulin that helps control blood sugar levels. It is used to treat type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Levemir is used to improve blood sugar control in adults and children with diabetes. It helps manage high blood sugar levels. However, it is not used to treat diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious condition with very high blood sugar and ketones.
Basaglar is used to lower blood sugar in adults and children with type 1 diabetes. It also helps adults with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar. However, Basaglar is not for treating diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious condition with high levels of ketones in the blood.
Levemir is a long-acting form of insulin. It works by helping your body use sugar from the blood for energy. This lowers your blood sugar levels and keeps them more stable over time.
Basaglar is a long-acting form of insulin. It works by replacing the insulin that your body does not make, or helping your body use insulin better. This helps to lower your blood sugar levels over a longer period.
- • Upper respiratory infection
- • Headache
- • Sore throat
- • Flu-like illness
- • Abdominal pain
- • Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
- • Allergic reactions
- • Injection site reactions (redness, swelling, itching)
- • Skin thickening or pits at the injection site
- • Itching
- High blood sugar 6,220
- Feeling sick to your stomach 1,971
- Low blood sugar 1,568
- Feeling tired 1,534
- Loose stools 1,399
- Increased blood sugar 38,213
- Using the medicine for something it's not approved for 11,495
- Decreased blood sugar 10,314
- The medicine is not working 10,279
- Taking the medicine at the wrong time 9,798
Never share your Levemir FlexPen, needle, or insulin syringe with anyone else, even if you change the needle. Sharing these items can spread blood-borne diseases. Changes in your insulin regimen can cause high or low blood sugar. Always check the insulin label before injecting to avoid medication errors. Low potassium can occur, monitor potassium levels. Heart failure can occur when taking Levemir with thiazolidinediones (TZDs).
Never share your Basaglar pen with anyone else, even if you change the needle. Sharing pens can spread blood-borne diseases. Changes to your insulin plan can affect your blood sugar. Make sure a doctor supervises any changes and that you check your blood sugar often. Low blood sugar can be very dangerous and even life-threatening. Watch for symptoms and check your blood sugar often. Low potassium can also be life-threatening. Tell your doctor if you have heart problems or take certain diabetes medicines called thiazolidinediones, as this can lead to heart failure.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Good control of diabetes is important during pregnancy for both you and your baby. Levemir can be used during pregnancy.
Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Poorly controlled diabetes during pregnancy can harm both the mother and the baby. Basaglar's effects during pregnancy are not well-studied.
How to Read This insulin detemir vs insulin glargine Comparison
insulin detemir is classified in the Long-Acting Insulin drug class, while insulin glargine sits within the Long-Acting Insulin class. Because both drugs share the same classification, they are often considered interchangeable in theory — but clinical outcomes rarely track that cleanly. 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, insulin detemir has 12,692 submissions while insulin glargine has 80,099. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. 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 insulin detemir and insulin glargine — 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.