Corticosteroid side effects

Corticosteroids are the drug of choice for the treatment of skin sarcoidosis. Usually a dose of 20 to 40 mg of prednisone equivalent/day is used initially and the dose is tapered depending on the treatment effect and the development of corticosteroid side effects. 

If the semm calcium is greater than 11 mg/dL, the patient has nephrolithiasis, or the serum creatinine is elevated, dmg therapy is usually required. The drug of choice is prednisone at an initial daily dose of 20 to 40 mg/day (183). Corticosteroids cause a rapid decline in serum calcium within 5 days and in urinary calcium excretion in 7 to 10 days (183). Failure of the serum calcium to normalize within two weeks on this corticosteroid regimen should alert the clinician to an alternate or coexisting disorder such as hyperparathyroidism, lymphoma, carcinoma, and myeloma (183). Once the calcium disorder is brought under control, the corticosteroid dose can be lowered over four to six weeks (183). The serum calcium and urinary calcium excretion rate should be closely monitored. If the patient develops intolerable corticosteroid side effects or fails to respond, chloroquine (184), hydroxychloroquine (185), and ketoco-nizole (186) have been used successfully. 

Haematologic Thirteen patients with severe refractory mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) were treated with oral CYC at an initial dose of 2 mg/kg without corticosteroids. Side effects included lymphopenia (n=10), leading to discontinuation of CYC for six patients [91. 

Corticosteroids may of course furthermore be procarcinogenic by virtue of their suppression of the immunological defense mechanism. Deakins (70 ) points out that the face is the most common site of corticosteroid side effects. Two clinical entities may be produced a rosacea-like syndrome and perioral dermatitis. 

Decreased clearance of prednisolone, a factor in the development of corticosteroid side effects. J. din. Endocr., 38, 407. 

Improvements in asthma treatment include the development of more effective, safer formulations of known dmgs. The aerosol adrninistration of P2-agonists or corticosteroids results in a decrease in side effects. Also, the use of reUable sustained release formulations has revolutionized the use of oral xanthines which have a very narrow therapeutic index (see Controlled release technology). For many individuals, asthma symptoms tend to worsen at night and the inhaled bronchodilatots do not usually last through an entire night s sleep (26,27). 

Corticosteroids are the most efficacious treatment available for the long-term treatment of asthma, and inhaled corticosteroids are considered to be a first-line therapy for asthma (247). In the early 1950s, cortisone (31) and cortisol (29) were used to treat asthma. However, dmgs with fewer side effects and with... 

There are hundreds of topical steroid preparations that are available for the treatment of skin diseases. In addition to their aforementioned antiinflammatory effects, topical steroids also exert their effects by vasoconstriction of the capillaries in the superficial dermis and by reduction of cellular mitosis and cell proliferation especially in the basal cell layer of the skin. In addition to the aforementioned systemic side effects, topical steroids can have adverse local effects. Chronic treatment with topical corticosteroids may increase the risk of bacterial and fungal infections. A combination steroid and antibacterial agent can be used to combat this problem. Additional local side effects that can be caused by extended use of topical steroids are epidermal atrophy, acne, glaucoma and cataracts (thus the weakest concentrations should be used in and around the eyes), pigmentation problems, hypertrichosis, allergic contact dermatitis, perioral dermatitis, and granuloma gluteale infantum (251). 

Inhaled steroids (commonly used are beclomethasone, budesonide, triamcinolone, fluticasone, flunisolide) appear to attenuate the inflammatory response, to reduce bronchial hyperreactivity, to decrease exacerbations and to improve health status they may also reduce the risk of myocar dial infar ction, but they do not modify the longterm decline in lung function. Whether- steroids affect mortality remains unclear. Many patients appear to be resistant to steroids and large, long-term trials have shown only limited effectiveness of inhaled corticosteroid ther apy. Certainly, the benefit from steroids is smaller in COPD than in asthma. Topical side-effects of inhaled steroids are oropharyngeal candidiasis and hoarse voice. At the normal doses systemic side-effects of inhaled steroids have not been firmly established. The current recommendation is that the addition of inhaled gluco-coiticosteroids to bronchodilator treatment is appropriate for patients with severe to veiy sever e COPD. 

Corticosteroids (hydrocortisone, COCs may inhibit metabolism of corticosteroids Increase side effects of corticosteroids... 

Intranasal corticosteroids effectively relieve sneezing, rhinorrhea, pruritus, and nasal congestion with minimal side effects (Table 79-4). They reduce inflammation by blocking mediator release, suppressing neutrophil che-motaxis, causing mild vasoconstriction, and inhibiting mast cell-mediated, late-phase reactions. 

Side effects of inhaled corticosteroids are relatively mild and include hoarseness, sore throat, oral candidiasis, and skin bruising. Severe side effects such as adrenal suppression, osteoporosis, and cataract formation are reported less frequently than with systemic corticosteroids, but clinicians should monitor patients receiving high-dose chronic inhaled therapy. 

Since halcinonide is a corticosteroid, large doses of unformulated steroid are needed systemically before the unwanted side effects appear. Halcinonide is usually formulated at concentrations of 0.1%, or less. Normal handling precautions are adequate. 

Drugs that increase sedation and give muscle relaxation can have a negative effect on muscle strength and the ability to maintain physical activity, for example, benzodiazepines and other tranquilizers. Corticosteroids have a well known side effect on muscle tissue that leads to muscle atrophy and increases with the dosage. 

Both omeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor and paclitaxel, a taxane cytotoxic may cause nausea and vomiting as side-effects. Prednisolone, as with other corticosteroids, does not cause nausea and vomiting. Corticosteroids such as dexamethasone are administered to relieve nausea and vomiting, particularly that associated with chemotherapy. 

Long-term use of oral corticosteroids may result in side-effects, such as peptic ulceration, adrenal suppression and subcapsular cataracts. 

Tetracosactide (tetracosactrin) is an analogue of corticotrophin (ACTH) and is used to test adrenocortical function. It is administered by intramuscular injection. Side-effects are very similar to those with corticosteroids. 

Salbutamol is a selective beta2-receptor agonist indicated in the management of asthma as a bronchodilator relieving acute attacks. It may be used in combination with inhaled corticosteroids such as beclometasone. Salbutamol acts within a few minutes and tends to be short-acting, unlike salmeterol. Side-effects of salbutamol include tachycardia and palpitations. It does not cause drowsiness and does not precipitate oral candidiasis. Inhaled corticosteroids may precipitate oral candidiasis. 

Side-effects and disadvantages of inhaled corticosteroids include hoarseness and oral candidiasis. Patients on inhaled corticosteroids are advised to rinse their mouth with water after using the inhaler, to reduce the occurrence of such... 

Blepharitis is a topical inflammation of the eyelid margins that should be treated using topical antibacterial agents. Gentamicin eye ointment is preferred to the fusidic acid drops since the ointment is a better formulation to be used where the condition involves the eyelid margins. Chloramphenicol eye drops is the third option since it is an antibiotic with a wider spectrum of activity. A combination of corticosteroid and antibiotic is not recommended because of the side-effects associated with the steroid. The use of oral tablets is not usually recommended since blepharitis can easily be managed with topical drops. The use of dexamethasone eye drops, monotherapy steroid, could clear the inflammation but mask persistence of infection. 

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