Contents:
- Medical Video: Side Effects of Prednisone - That You Should Be Aware Of Before Using ❗
- What is corticosteroids?
- What is the function of corticosteroid drugs?
- What are the side effects of corticosteroid drugs?
- Systemic corticosteroids
- Local corticosteroids
- What is safe use of corticosteroids?
Medical Video: Side Effects of Prednisone - That You Should Be Aware Of Before Using ❗
Corticosteroids are a class of drugs that are very often used, function as anti-inflammatory and are often referred to as "god drugs" because of their ability to treat various symptoms of the disease. Some of the names of corticosteroids that we often find are prednisone, methylprednisolone, dexamethason, hydrocortisone, betamethasone, triamcinolone and others. Although it is proven effective for relieving many complaints such as swollen skin, itching, redness, flu, aches and allergic diseases, excessive use of corticosteroids can actually cause side effects that are not good for health.
What is corticosteroids?
Corticosteroids are a group of hormones produced by the human body through the adrenal glands located above the kidneys. This hormone functions in regulating carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism, regulation of body fluids, the body's defense system, and bone formation.
What is the function of corticosteroid drugs?
Corticosteroids are used to disrupt hormone production by the adrenal glands which results in the body lacking steroid hormones. Other conditions often treated with corticosteroids include allergic diseases such as asthma, allergic conjunctivitis and other urticaria, autoimmune diseases, systemic inflammation, transplantation, brain swelling, and much more.
What are the side effects of corticosteroid drugs?
The use of corticosteroids in patients must be considered properly, due to its extensive side effects. The occurrence of side effects is influenced by many things, the use of more than 2 weeks can cause serious side effects. Strong potency of high-dose corticosteroids more often causes side effects. Side effects that arise depend on how they are used, because systemic use generally causes greater side effects.
Systemic corticosteroids
Systemic corticosteroid preparations usually take the form of tablets or injections into blood vessels. Side effects that can arise are:
- Hypertension
- Increased blood sugar, diabetes
- Gastric ulcer
- Gastrointestinal bleeding
- Old and abnormal wound healing
- Potassium deficiency
- Osteoporosis
- Susceptible to infection
- Emotional disturbances
- Insomnia
- Increased appetite
- Glaucoma
- Weakened muscles
- Thinning of the skin
Local corticosteroids
Local corticosteroid preparations can vary, including injection, inhalation, and ointment.
Side effects of corticosteroid injection
- Pain and swelling in the muscles or joints that are injected
- Weakness of muscles and tendons
- Infection
- Thinning of the skin
Side effects of inhaled corticosteroids
- Thrush in the mouth or throat
- Mild nosebleeds
- Hoarseness or difficulty speaking
- Cough
- Fungus in the oral cavity
- Increased risk of pneumonia infection in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Side effects of ointment corticosteroids
- Thinning of the skin
- The skin color becomes paler
- Increased risk of skin infections
- Inhibits wound healing
In more severe cases, high-dose corticosteroids can cause Cushing's syndrome, which is characterized by:
- Obesity
- Hypertension
- Easily tired
- Abdominal striae, purple lines in the abdomen
- Swelling
- Moon face and buffalo hump
- Hirsutism, hair growth in a place that is not common in women
- Menstrual disorders in women
What is safe use of corticosteroids?
Because of the various side effects above, the use of corticosteroids must be in accordance with the doctor's instructions, both how many doses, how many times you drink in a day, and how many days to take it. The community is not advised to consume or add-reduce the dosage of this drug without a doctor's instructions. To reduce the side effects of corticosteroids, patients can follow the following tips:
- Do not drink corticosteroids when the stomach is empty, to reduce side effects on the digestive system
- Use spacer inhaled corticosteroids, to reduce the risk of fungal infections in the oral cavity
- Inject in a different place, maximally injecting corticosteroids in the same place three times
- In areas of thin or folded skin, treat steroids with weak potential
- Be careful of use around the eyes, because it can cause glaucoma or cataracts
Don't stop sudden treatment. In long-term use, doctors usually do "tappering off"When going to stop treatment, that is by way of the drug dosage being lowered slowly and then stopped. The sudden cessation of corticosteroids can cause Addison's syndrome.
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