Published online Jan 15, 2024. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v15.i1.11
Peer-review started: October 27, 2023
First decision: November 23, 2023
Revised: December 3, 2023
Accepted: December 25, 2023
Article in press: December 25, 2023
Published online: January 15, 2024
Processing time: 76 Days and 20.7 Hours
Intensive insulin therapy has been extensively used to control blood glucose levels because of its ability to reduce the risk of chronic complications of diabetes. According to current guidelines, intensive glycemic control requires individualized glucose goals rather than as low as possible. During intensive therapy, rapid blood glucose reduction can aggravate microvascular and macrovascular complications, and prolonged overuse of insulin can lead to treatment-induced neuropathy and retinopathy, hypoglycemia, obesity, lipodystrophy, and insulin antibody syndrome. Therefore, we need to develop individualized hypoglycemic plans for patients with diabetes, including the time required for blood glucose normalization and the duration of intensive insulin therapy, which deserves further study.
Core Tip: Intensive insulin therapy is popular in the treatment of patients with diabetes. This article highlighted the effects and side effects of intensive insulin therapy. It is a warning against the use of insulin therapy without any limitations, such as the speed of blood glucose lowering and the duration of insulin therapy.