Corticosteroids Side Effects

If you are prescribed steroids there can be many corticosteroid side effects. It is important to know all of the contraindications of this group of drugs before deciding whether these medications would be beneficial for your particular condition.

An Overview of Corticosteroids

Prednisone is a commonly prescribed corticosteroid that can be very beneficial for several medical conditions such as arthritis and muscle inflammation but also carries a long list of side effects. These side effects can be minimized by following a carefully laid out dosage plan by your doctor. You should never change the dose levels yourself or suddenly stop taking corticosteroids without the advice of a knowledgeable health care professional.

If you take prednisone or other corticosteroids they are usually prescribed moderately and tapered off little bits at a time over a few weeks period of time. Sometimes in severe cases of rheumatoid arthritis long term treatment is prescribed by your doctor. To reduce the possibility of severe side effects, the lowest dose that can be given is usually prescribed.

Adverse Reactions to Corticosteroids:

There are many side effects associated with taking steroids so you should use common sense and take precautions before starting any of these drugs. Some of the more common side effects are as follows:

• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Increased sweating
• Stomach ulcers
• Edema due to water retention
• Irritability and mood swings
• Increased chance of depression
• Renal problems

Doses of corticosteroids should be reduced very gradually so that your renal glands can begin functioning regularly again. If you stop taking steroids suddenly it can result in complete renal failure. This can be life threatening because cortisol levels are low due to the corticosteroids. You can also acquire a condition called steroid withdrawal syndrome when coming off of these drugs. There is also something called rebound effect that can be an adverse reaction to these drugs. It is accompanied by fever and joint pain.

Corticosteroids: Should they be taken orally or injected?

Corticosteroids side effects

Steroids can be taken orally or injected. When injected, the medication can be administered directly into the joint. This allows your doctor to inject large amounts of the steroid right into the affected area. This spares the rest of your body the effects of the drug. One possible side effect of being administered corticosteroids in this way is an infection at the site of injection. If you are frequently injected into the same place you can also acquire cartilage damage. All of these issues are important to take into consideration when taking steroids to lessen the possible corticosteroids side effects.

Some Benefits of Prednisone

Prednisone can be a very useful treatment for inflammation. It can also relieve inflammation very fast. It also reduces joint pain and joint swelling. It is worth noting that even small doses can increase your risk of osteoporosis and cataracts. It is wise to take extreme caution when taking any kind of corticosteroids. Higher doses carry with them even higher risks for your body such as:

• A masking of infection
• A decreased chance of wounds healing
• Higher risks of infections

You and your doctor should discuss it and weigh the long term benefits versus the risks of steroid drugs. It is very important that a patient discuss all of the current medications (prescription and non-prescription) that they are on with their doctor before deciding to take corticosteroids. A doctor will usually start a patient on a dose between 5 mg and 60 mg a day. It all depends on what other medications you are taking and how bad your existing condition is.

Prolonged Side Effects of Prednisone

As stated earlier, prolonged use and sudden cessation of prednisone can cause long term effects to the kidneys. Kidney and renal failure could be a result. You should know these precautions and take them into consideration.

Drug Interactions

As with any prescription drug, interactions that are adverse are always a possibility. Estrogen is one drug that can greatly affect how steroids react in the body. Another drug that can interact negatively with these drugs is Dilantin. Dilantin increases the activity of liver enzymes in the body. These enzymes may eliminate the prednisone in the body thus affecting its benefits to the patient. There are also some rather mild side effects that may occur from taking corticosteroids.

• Obesity
• Weight gain
• Retention of fluids
• High blood pressure
• Easy bruising
• Mental retardation in kids
• Emotional issues
• Loss of Potassium
• Face puffiness
• Aseptic necrosis
• Elevation of blood sugar and fats
• Headaches

Another serious side effect that comes from taking these drugs is something called Cushing’s disease. As mentioned earlier, this disease is caused by the adrenal glands producing too much cortisol. Corticosteroids can greatly affect the levels of cortisol in your body thus being a contributing factor to this disease. The symptoms of Cushing’s disease are as follows:

• A round full face
• Obesity of the upper body
• Slow growth rate in children
• Thin skin and easy bruising
• Purple marks around the abdomen area

This can be a very serious corticosteroid side effects, so if you experience any of these symptoms you should contact your physician as soon as possible. Women can also experience excessive growth of hair on their face, neck and chest. Men may experience lack of desire for sex and decreased fertility. Treatment for any of these kinds of symptoms is a slow tapering off of the steroid drugs. You should never suddenly quit taking them without talking with your doctor first. Slowly taking yourself off of these drugs(with your doctor’s supervision) can help the adrenal gland resume normal behavior and function.

Steroids, if taken properly, can be very beneficial drugs for a variety of inflammatory conditions. It is just wise to explore the information on these drugs and speak with your physician before starting treatment. These drugs are some of the most helpful drugs there are in relieving excruciating rheumatoid arthritis pain. It is advised to take them correctly and at the lowest dose possible to reduce your risk of corticosteroids side effects.

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