|
Back to Chest Drug index
Name: Prednisone
|
|
|
Xolair reduced the rate of hospital emergency visits by 44% in
patients with inadequately controlled asthma.
|
|
|
|
|
|
related discussion |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pregnancy Category C
Drug classes
- Corticosteroid (intermediate acting)
- Glucocorticoid
- Hormonal agent
Therapeutic actions
Enters target cells and binds to intracellular corticosteroid
receptors,
thereby initiating many complex reactions that are responsible for its
anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects.
Indications
- Replacement therapy in adrenal cortical insufficiency
- Hypercalcemia associated with cancer
- Short-term management of various inflammatory and allergic disorders,
such as rheumatoid arthritis, collagen diseases (eg, SLE),
dermatologic
diseases (eg, pemphigus), status asthmaticus, and autoimmune disorders
- Hematologic disorders: thrombocytopenia purpura, erythroblastopenia
- Ulcerative colitis, acute exacerbations of multiple sclerosis and
palliation in some leukemias and lymphomas
- Trichinosis with neurologic or myocardial involvement
Contraindications/cautions
Contraindicated in the presence of infections, especially
tuberculosis,
fungal infectons, amebiasis, vaccinia and varicella, and antibiotic-resistant infections; lactation.
Use caution in the presence of kidney or liver disease,
hypothyroidism,
ulcerative colitis with impending perforation, diverticulitis, active
or
latent peptic ulcer, inflammatory bowel disease, CHF, hypertension,
thromboembolic disorders, osteoporosis, convulsive disorders, diabetes
mellitus; hepatic disease; pregnancy (monitor infants born to mothers
who
have received substantial corticosteroid doses during pregnancy for
adrenal insufficiency).
Adverse effects
- CNS: Vertigo, headache, paresthesias, insomnia, convulsions,
psychosis,
cataracts, increased intraocular pressure, glaucoma (long-term
therapy)
- GI: Peptic or esophageal ulcer, pancreatitis, abdominal distention,
nausea, vomiting, increased appetite, weight gain (long-term therapy)
- CV: Hypotension, shock, hypertension and CHF secondary to fluid
retention, thromboembolism, thrombophlebitis, fat embolism, cardiac
arrhythmias
- MS: Muscle weakness, steroid myopathy, loss of muscle mass,
osteoporosis, spontaneous fractures (long-term therapy)
- Hypersensitivity: Hypersensitivity or anaphylactoid reactions
- Endocrine: Amenorrhea, irregular menses, growth retardation, decreased
carbohydrate tolerance, diabetes mellitus, cushingoid state (long-term
effect), increased blood sugar, increased serum cholesterol, decreased
T3 and T4 levels, HPA suppression with systemic therapy
longer than 5 d
- Electrolyte imbalance: Na+ and fluid retention, hypokalemia,
hypocalcemia
- Other: Immunosuppression, aggravation, or masking of infections;
impaired wound healing; thin, fragile skin; petechiae, ecchymoses,
purpura, striae; subcutaneous fat atrophy
Are you a Doctor, Pharmacist, PA or a Nurse?
Join the Doctors Lounge online medical community
-
Editorial activities: Publish, peer review, edit
online articles.
-
Ask a Doctor Teams: Respond to patient questions and
discuss challenging presentations with other members.
Doctors Lounge Membership Application
|