insulin glargine vs octreotide
Side-by-side comparison of insulin glargine and octreotide. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
moderate Known Drug Interaction
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS Table 6 includes clinically significant drug interactions with BASAGLAR Table 6: Clinically Significant Drug Interactions with BASAGLAR Drugs That May Increase the Risk of Hypoglycemia Drugs: Antidiabetic agents, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blocking agents, disopyramide, fibrates, fluoxetine, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, pentoxifylline, pramlintide, salicylates, somatostatin analogs (e.g., octreotide), and sulfonamide antibiotics. Drugs that may increase the risk of hypoglycemia: antidiabetic agents, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blocking agents,...
Recommendation: Check your blood sugar levels often and consult your doctor about changing your insulin dose.
Lantus, Basaglar, Toujeo
Sandostatin
Basaglar is a long-acting insulin that helps control blood sugar levels. It is used to treat type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Octreotide is a drug that mimics a natural hormone in your body. It is used to treat certain conditions caused by too much of certain hormones.
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.
Octreotide is used to lower growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 in people with acromegaly who haven't responded to other treatments. It also helps manage severe diarrhea and flushing caused by carcinoid tumors. Additionally, it can treat watery diarrhea caused by VIPomas (tumors that release vasoactive intestinal peptide).
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.
This medicine works by mimicking somatostatin, a natural hormone in your body. It reduces the amount of certain hormones, like growth hormone, that your body makes. By doing this, it helps control the symptoms caused by having too much of these hormones.
- • Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
- • Allergic reactions
- • Injection site reactions (redness, swelling, itching)
- • Skin thickening or pits at the injection site
- • Itching
- • Gallbladder problems
- • Slow heart rate
- • Diarrhea
- • Loose stools
- • Nausea
- Increased blood sugar 38,213
- Decreased blood sugar 10,314
- Taking the medicine at the wrong time 9,798
- Feeling sick to your stomach 9,566
- The medicine was stored incorrectly 8,531
- Diarrhea 526
- Death 375
- Nausea 345
- Tiredness 305
- Cancer getting worse 235
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.
Octreotide can cause heart problems, including a higher risk of certain types of heart block. Your doctor may monitor your heart if you receive this drug intravenously. It can also cause gallbladder problems, high or low blood sugar, and thyroid issues. Tell your doctor right away if you notice new or worsening symptoms.
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.
There is limited information about the safety of octreotide during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if octreotide passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor about breastfeeding while using this medicine.
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How to Read This insulin glargine vs octreotide Comparison
insulin glargine is classified in the Long-Acting Insulin drug class, while octreotide sits within the Somatostatin Analog 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, insulin glargine has 76,422 submissions while octreotide has 1,786. 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 moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to octreotide can lower blood sugar levels, which adds to the effect of insulin and increases the risk of a dangerous drop.. 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 glargine and octreotide - 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.