Drug Interaction Report

Insulin Detemir and Glucagon Injection / Solution: Interaction Details

Name: Insulin Detemir and Glucagon Injection / Solution Interaction
Creator: Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS

A pharmacist-reviewed analysis of the Insulin Detemir and Glucagon Injection / Solution interaction: the documented clinical effects, severity rating, onset, mechanism, and management considerations, with cited references throughout.

AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · Source data updated Aug 8, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature

Glucagon Injection / Solution

Baqsimi GlucaGen Gvoke

Insulin Detemir

Levemir

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS

Updated Aug 8, 2026

Editorial policy · Data sources

Interaction severity

Moderate

Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.

Minor

Moderate

Major

Contraindicated

How we grade severity & evidence

Severity levels

Contraindicated: These should generally not be used together.
Major: Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
Moderate: Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
Minor: Usually limited clinical impact.

Evidence grades

Established: Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
Probable: Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
Suspected: Some evidence suggests this interaction, but it is not well established.
Possible: Limited or conflicting evidence; the interaction may occur.
Theoretical: Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.

Ratings come from the documented interaction literature and are reviewed by a pharmacist. They describe the documented risk of the combination, not what will necessarily happen to you — your dose, timing, and health picture all matter.

Of 75 documented Insulin Detemir interactions, 39 are rated moderate — including this one.

Onset

unspecified

Evidence

theoretical

Severity

Moderate

What happens

Decreased blood glucose-lowering effects; interference with glucagon action

Interaction Deep Dive

Insulin antagonizes the activity of glucagon¹. The blood glucose lowering effect of insulin may be decreased with concomitant use of glucagon ². Use caution if using glucagon as a diagnostic aid in patients with diabetes ¹.

Why it happens (mechanism)

Antagonism of glucagon by insulin

Common questions

Can I take Insulin Detemir and Glucagon Injection / Solution together?

Decreased blood glucose-lowering effects; interference with glucagon action Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.

How serious is the Insulin Detemir and Glucagon Injection / Solution interaction?

It is rated moderate. Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.

How quickly could this interaction happen?

The documented onset is "unspecified". The timing of this interaction is not well characterized.

How strong is the evidence for this interaction?

The evidence is graded "theoretical". Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.

Questions for your pharmacist

Does my dose of Insulin Detemir or Glucagon Injection / Solution need adjusting while I take them together?
What symptoms should prompt me to call you or my prescriber right away?
Does the timing of my doses matter for this combination?
Is there anything you'd monitor while I'm on both?

References (2)

Product Information: GlucaGen(R) intramuscular injection, intravenous injection, subcutaneous injection, glucagon rDNA origin intramuscular injection, intravenous injection, subcutaneous injection. Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (per DailyMed), Ridgefield, CT, 2014.
Product Information: TOUJEO(R) subcutaneous injection, insulin glargine subcutaneous injection. sanofi-aventis (per manufacturer), Bridgewater, NJ, 2015. DailyMed

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Glucagon Injection / Solution

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HelloPharmacist doesn't license one of the big commercial interaction databases, so what you'll find here is not a complete list of every known drug interaction. Instead, each entry is researched, analyzed, and written up individually — documented from the published literature, reviewed by a pharmacist, and cited so you can check every source yourself.

If a combination isn't listed here, it means we haven't documented it yet — never that it's safe. For screening a full medication list, we recommend pairing this site with a comprehensive tool like the Drugs.com Interaction Checker and, most importantly, a review by your own pharmacist. For a deep, plain-English, fully sourced explanation of a specific documented interaction — that's exactly what we built this for.

This information is for education, not a substitute for professional medical advice. Do not start, stop, or change any medication without talking to your pharmacist or prescriber.