How are oral steroids administered?
Prednisolone is used when?
Prednisolone is a great way to manage severe eczema flare-ups. A brief course could also be helpful for severe vesicular (blistering) hand eczema or florid (extremely red) cases of acute allergic contact dermatitis (e.g., hair dye reactions).
Adults often start with dosages of 20–30 mg, however sometimes larger amounts are utilized. In the morning, the pills are often taken all at once.
Side effects preclude long-term usage of prednisolone, and rebound flares of eczema may develop upon quitting therapy.
Children may receive off-license prescriptions for prednisolone as a gradually tapering course.
Additional crucial information regarding oral steroids
Unless prescribed by a physician, avoid using anti-inflammatory pain relievers like ibuprofen while taking steroids. When combined, the two raise the chance of getting a stomach or duodenal ulcer.
Most persons who use steroids on a regular basis wear a medical emergency identification bracelet or something similar, and most of them carry a steroid card, which should be given by the person who prescribes or distributes your medication. In an emergency, this provides information on the dosage and health status.
When undergoing surgery or experiencing a severe illness, for instance, the steroid dosage may need to be temporarily raised. This is because these activities put the body under more physical stress, which means that larger quantities of steroids are required. Normally, the body would create these on its own, but taking oral steroids cuts off the body’s natural supply.
When using steroids, is it okay to take other medications?
Oral steroids can influence or be influenced by a variety of medications. This implies that the steroid may alter their mechanism of action, making the other medication ineffective or causing greater adverse effects than normal. Additionally, they may interact in reverse, with the corticosteroid being impacted by the other medication.
The following are some examples of medications that may interact with steroids:
Warfarin is a medication that thins the blood to stop blood clots.
NSAIDs, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, include naproxen, diclofenac, and ibuprofen. When used simultaneously, the risk is very significant since stomach ulcers are a side effect of both NSAIDs and steroids. To lower this risk, a medication such a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) can be required.
live vaccinations. A few vaccinations include the germ they are meant to protect against, but most do not. These include rotavirus, yellow fever, tuberculosis (TB), and the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination. Unless otherwise directed, live vaccinations should be avoided by persons on steroid medication and those living with those on steroid medication.
medications for epilepsy, particularly phenytoin, carbamazepine, and phenobarbital.
diabetic medications. Blood sugar levels should be checked more regularly after beginning steroids, and diabetes medication dosages can then be changed as needed.
Digoxin.
“Water tablets,” which are diuretics.
AIDS and HIV treatments.
If I’m taking a medication that interacts with oral steroids, what should I do?
The doctor can provide appropriate advice as long as they are aware that this is being taken.
Is it safe to use oral steroids when nursing or pregnant?
Generally speaking, women who are pregnant or nursing can utilize steroids without risk. For the shortest period of time, the lowest dose would be administered. According to some, but not all, research on the use of steroids during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, there is a tiny chance that the baby will be born preterm and that they will have a cleft lip and/or palate.
If there is a likelihood of a preterm delivery, one specific oral steroid (dexamethasone) is frequently taken near the end of pregnancy because it can increase the baby’s chances of survival by accelerating the maturation of the lungs.
For whom is prednisolone contraindicated?
Oral prednisolone can be taken in short courses by the great majority of persons. However, because prednisolone might exacerbate pre-existing illnesses, care must be taken with patients who have a history of peptic ulcers, osteoporosis, psychoses, diabetes, or hypertension.
What adverse effects might prednisolone cause?
Prednisolone and other oral steroids weaken the immune system. This implies that live immunizations may create issues and that there is a higher chance of contracting bacterial, fungal, or viral infections. Therefore, those on prednisolone should consult their doctor before getting a vaccination, if they feel ill, or if they have been exposed to the chicken pox or shingles viruses or measles.
Long-term use of prednisolone can result in a variety of negative consequences. Because of this, it is not advised for long-term eczema therapy and is often only used to treat an outbreak of eczema. Doctors will try to keep the dosage of prednisolone as low as possible if they prescribe it.
The most frequent first adverse effect is weight gain. In adults, osteoporosis is a serious issue. People who already have diabetes or hypertension (high blood pressure) should get extra attention since prednisolone may exacerbate these diseases. Because of its effects on bone development and general growth, children should not use this drug for longer periods of time. Cataracts, muscular weakness, fluid retention, peptic ulcers, easy bruising, and mood changes (euphoria or despair, psychosis) are other possible adverse effects.
Typically, prednisolone pills are used as a brief course. They should not be abruptly stopped if taken for an extended period of time. This is because systemic steroids prevent the adrenal glands from producing steroid hormones naturally. The dose should be progressively decreased to 5 mg daily if medication is to be stopped. At that time, a test called the synacthin test should be conducted to see if the body’s natural steroid synthesis is still working. Otherwise, replacement oral steroids may be necessary for the remainder of the individual’s life. You will receive detailed instructions from your doctor on how to wean yourself off of this medicine.
Are there any medication interactions with prednisolone?
Prednisolone may interact with certain medicines. Blood thinners including warfarin (Coumadin), several antifungal medications like fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), and ketoconazole (Nizoral), aspirin, and the nausea medicine aprepitant (Emend) should all be avoided when using prednisolone. It is crucial that you always let your doctor and pharmacist know that you are using prednisolone, as this is not an exhaustive list.