What is the duration of action for insulin glargine?

Insulin glargine is a long-acting insulin analog that is designed to provide a steady level of insulin in the bloodstream. Its primary function is to help regulate blood glucose levels over an extended period, mimicking the body's natural basal insulin secretion. The duration of action for insulin glargine is typically around 24 hours, which allows for once-daily dosing. This extended duration enables patients to maintain more consistent blood glucose levels throughout the day and night.

The other duration options mentioned, such as 6-10 hours, 2-4 hours, and 3-5 hours, are more characteristic of shorter-acting insulins or rapid-acting insulins that are utilized for meal-time coverage rather than for baseline insulin needs. Thus, these durations do not align with the pharmacokinetic profile of insulin glargine, further reinforcing why 24 hours is the accurate duration of action for this particular insulin formulation.