What the FDA labels say about taking them together
Insulin glulisine and niacin
Insulin glulisine's FDA label of November 25, 2025 names niacin in its drug interactions section; the niacin label PlainMeds reads does not name insulin glulisine. The insulin glulisine label: “Drugs that May Decrease the Blood Glucose Lowering Effect of APIDRA Drugs: Atypical antipsychotics, corticosteroids, danazol, diuretics, estrogens, glucagon, isoniazid, niacin, phenothiazine derivatives, progestogens …”
Check it at the source: the insulin glulisine FDA label on DailyMed (effective November 25, 2025); the niacin FDA label on DailyMed (effective February 14, 2023, Aurobindo Pharma Limited).
What does the insulin glulisine label say about niacin?
Insulin glulisine label, drug interactionsDrugs that May Decrease the Blood Glucose Lowering Effect of APIDRA Drugs: Atypical antipsychotics, corticosteroids, danazol, diuretics, estrogens, glucagon, isoniazid, niacin, phenothiazine derivatives, progestogens (e.g., in oral contraceptives), protease inhibitors, somatropin, sympathomimetic agents (e.g., albuterol, epinephrine, terbutaline), and thyroid hormones. Intervention: Dose adjustment and increased frequency of glucose monitoring may be required when APIDRA is coadministered with these drugs.
Source: FDA drug label (Apidra), sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC, effective November 25, 2025 (SPL set e7af6a7a-8046-4fb4-9979-4ec4230b23aa), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What does the niacin label say about insulin glulisine?
Niacin's label (effective February 14, 2023) does not name insulin glulisine in these sections. A label lists what its studies and reports found; it is not a complete list.
Source: FDA drug label (Niacin), Aurobindo Pharma Limited, effective February 14, 2023 (SPL set 43233a21-3f90-4c69-bbeb-f50d5f2d35ae), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
These are the labels' own sentences. PlainMeds does not grade interactions; a pharmacist or prescriber can say what they mean for one person's medicines.
Both medicines on the record
| Insulin glulisine | Niacin | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Type 2 diabetes, Type 1 diabetes | High cholesterol, Heart attack and coronary artery disease, High triglycerides |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC) | $8.16 per mL 100 unit/mL vial | $0.193 per tablet 500 mg tablet |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
Source: FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026 and the FDA Drug Shortage Database (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Check more medicines together
- up to five at once