The FDA has approved the first nasally administered glucagon product (Baqsimi), for the treatment of severe hypoglycemia for patients aged 4 years or older who have diabetes. The nasal powder is the first licensed glucagon product that is not delivered by injection and that does not require a multistep mixing process. It is compact, portable and ready to use (no reconstitution required) in a single, fixed, 3 mg dose.” The new product, which comes in a single-use dispenser, is advantageous because it does not require injection of syringe contents into a vial, mixing, and drawing the solution back into the syringe prior to injecting into the patient, a process that can be daunting and can lead to errors when performed by nonmedical people in emergency situations.
In addition, the product can be stored at room temperature, whereas injectable glucagon must be kept refrigerated. The most common adverse reactions associated with nasal glucagon are similar to those of injected glucagon and include nausea, vomiting, and headache. Because of the nasal mode of administration, it can also cause watery eyes and nasal congestion.