Active ingredients (generic names) | DEXAMETHASONE (deks-a-meth-a-sone) HYDROCORTISONE (hy-dro-cor-ti-zone) PREDNISOLONE (pred-nis-o-lone)+ Other corticosteroids Not included in this monograph — see AMH for information: - Betamethasone
- Cortisone
- Methylprednisolone
- Prednisone
- Triamcinolone
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What it is used for | - Asthma or chronic lung disease
- Meningitis (dexamethasone)
- Croup (dexamethasone)
- Immunosuppressant (eg after kidney transplant)
- Other severe inflammatory or immune disorders
Doses: Dexamethasone, Hydrocortisone, Prednisolone |
How it works | - Reduces inflammation by blocking body's natural response to infection or injury
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Side effects | - Blood glucose disturbance (hyperglycaemia), sleep disturbance
- Long term — many side effects including bone density loss, muscle weakeness, mood disturbance,
skin atrophy, weight gain, infection
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 Warnings | - Blood glucose levels can increase in people with diabetes
- Do not use soon after chickenpox, shingles or measles infections
if needed for more than one week Interactions — Do not use together without medical consult - Corticosteroids interact with a lot of different medicines — always check with doctor
or pharmacist before adding another medicine
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 Tell the patient | - If taking for more than 3 weeks — do not stop suddenly, follow instructions for slowly
reducing dose
- If taking for a long time — make sure you tell other doctors and health people that
you are taking this medicine
- Can increase risk of infections (eg thrush)
- If possible take in the morning to avoid sleep disruption
- Different steroids are not interchangeable
Return to clinic
if needed for more than a short time Warning stickers: 9, B, prednisolone also 6 (some oral products) |
Check | - If using for more than 3 months — bone density test for possible damage to bones (steroid-induced
osteoporosis)
Check kidney function (UEC), LFT
BGL before giving medicine, then once a week for the first month of treatment |
