Should I use prednisolone for allergies? Dexamethasone or prednisolone, which is better for allergies?


What do Prednisolone hormonal tablets help with?

Prednisolone tablets for what:

  • Anti-inflammatory effect. Inflammation is a 3-stage process; tissue destruction immediately occurs under the influence of an irritant. The contents come out of the cells together with enzymes that destroy surrounding tissues, and then the body starts restoration processes (synthesis of connective tissue components). Under the influence of glucocorticoids, their synthesis is inhibited. Diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, dermatomyositis, periarthritis nodosa.
  • Antiallergic effect. The development of lymphoid tissue is inhibited. This causes a decrease in the number of various lymphocytes that secrete antibodies that stimulate responses - allergies. Acute and chronic allergic diseases of various nature.
  • Antitoxic effect. It is caused by an effect on the liver, where protein synthesis is activated, and the rate of neutralization of waste products and xenobiotics that are toxic to the body increases. Increases the stability of cell membranes, including liver cells. Diseases: hepatitis, hepatic coma, hypoglycemic conditions, lipoid nephrosis
  • The production of a hormone of this nature in the adrenal cortex is disrupted. Diseases: acute adrenal insufficiency, Addison's disease, adrenogenital syndrome

Doctor's reviews about the drug Prednisolone: ​​indications, form and time of administration, withdrawal, side effects

Directions for use and doses

The adrenal cortex produces the hormone hydrocortisone, which regulates the functioning of many human life systems. Prednisolone is an artificial analogue of this glucocorticosteroid, which is several times more powerful than it. Such high therapeutic effectiveness also has a negative side, which is expressed in the occurrence of serious consequences for the patient’s body.

Manufacturers produce the drug in various dosage forms, each of which is intended for the treatment of a specific disease. On pharmacy shelves Prednisolone is presented in the form:

  • eye drops 0.5%;
  • solutions for 30 mg/ml and 15 mg/ml, used for intravenous, intramuscular and intra-articular administration;
  • tablets containing 1 and 5 mg of active substance;
  • 0.5% ointment for external use.

Endocrinologists, ophthalmologists, allergists and neurologists prescribe glucocorticosteroids only in cases where the use of other drugs has not brought the required results. During treatment, patients regularly provide biological samples for laboratory testing. If the use of Prednisolone provokes negative changes in the functioning of the cardiovascular or endocrine system, then the drug is stopped or the daily and single dosages used are adjusted by the attending physician.

Pills. Inside, with a small amount of liquid. The dose of the drug and the duration of treatment are determined by the doctor individually depending on the indications and severity of the disease. The selection of the dose and duration of therapy is also determined by the patient’s response to treatment.

How long can you take prednisolone without harm - About heartburn

It is recommended to take the entire daily dose of the drug once or a double daily dose - every other day, taking into account the circadian rhythm of endogenous secretion of GCS in the interval from 6 to 8 am. The daily dose of Prednisolone should be taken after meals (breakfast). A high daily dose can be divided into 2 to 4 doses, with a larger dose taken in the morning.

For children aged 3 years and older, the initial dose is 1 - 2 mg/kg body weight per day in 4 - 6 doses, maintenance - 0.3 - 0.6 mg/kg/day.

When a therapeutic effect is obtained, the dose is gradually reduced - 5 mg, then 2.5 mg at intervals of 3 - 5 days, first canceling later doses. With long-term use of the drug, the daily dose should be reduced gradually. Long-term therapy should not be stopped suddenly! The maintenance dose is discontinued more slowly the longer glucocorticosteroid therapy has been used.

In case of stressful effects (infection, allergic reaction, trauma, surgery, nervous stress), in order to avoid exacerbation of the underlying disease, the dose of Prednisolone should be temporarily increased (1.5 - 3, and in severe cases - 5 - 10 times).

Prednisolone in the form of injections must be administered inside the muscles, joints or as a tissue soak. It is very important to treat the skin with alcohol before the procedure to kill all pathogenic microorganisms.

To relieve joint pain, it is necessary to inject 25–50 mg into large ones, 10 mg into small ones. If the syndrome is pronounced, the procedure can be repeated several times. It is very important to evaluate the therapeutic effect after such therapy in order to, if necessary, either increase the dose of the active substance or change the medication.

In order for the drug to be correctly distributed throughout the joint, after administration it must be bent and unbent several times. Lotions from the solution will also help reduce pain - they are used to treat small areas of the affected surfaces.

The doctor should also send you once every two weeks for blood, stool and urine tests. During therapy, it is necessary to monitor the water balance in the body and, if necessary, take diuretics.

It should be borne in mind that with long-term use, Prednisolone can cause a decrease in potassium levels in the blood. To prevent this, it is recommended to follow a special diet and take this macronutrient in tablet form. Otherwise, there is a high risk of osteoporosis - damage to bone tissue, causing it to become extremely fragile.

Please note that only the attending physician can prescribe a therapeutic dose of Prednisolone, as well as the duration of its use. He should familiarize himself with the results of diagnostic studies, and only then prescribe treatment. Injections can be administered into the body by drip or jet, but in practice, two of these methods are used at once in one procedure.

In cases where it is not possible to inject Prednisolone into the bloodstream, it is permissible to administer it intramuscularly. To relieve acute conditions, doctors prescribe a tablet form of this medicine.

To avoid withdrawal syndrome, the end of treatment is accompanied by a reduction in the therapeutic dose. It is strictly forbidden to abruptly stop using this medication - there is a high risk of serious complications.

For skin diseases, use the external remedy “Prednisolone ointment” (0.5%). For the treatment of eye diseases, eye drops of the drug are prescribed (1-2 drops in each eye), but not longer than 2 weeks. The therapeutic dose is 0.02-0.03 g, the maintenance dose is 0.005-0.01 g. In otolaryngology, Prednisolone solution is used - 4-5 drops. into the nostril or ear 4-5 times a day.

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Withdrawal syndrome

With prolonged use of the Prednisolone injection solution, the body begins to get used to the components. In addition, the drug affects and changes the functioning of the adrenal glands. If you abruptly refuse therapy with this drug, a person may experience malaise, increased fatigue, and high body temperature.

Such conditions resolve without additional therapy within a few days. However, if high doses of Prednisolone are abruptly discontinued, there is a risk of hypoadrenaline crisis. It can be recognized by increasing convulsions, vomiting and collapse.

It is strictly forbidden to abruptly stop using Prednisolone - it is necessary to gradually reduce the therapeutic dose to avoid withdrawal syndrome.

Overdose

If you do not follow the doctor's recommendations or long-term therapy with Prednisolone, the risk of an overdose is extremely high. This is a dangerous condition that requires emergency medical attention. It can be recognized by increased blood pressure, increased peripheral edema and exacerbation of side effects.

If you begin to notice them in yourself, try to call an ambulance as soon as possible. Health care workers will rinse your stomach and also prescribe medications that artificially induce vomiting.

At home, you can only help yourself by drinking plenty of fluids. If it is impossible to stop using Prednisolone in the future, then the therapeutic dose of the drug must be reduced. This must be done under the supervision of a specialist.

Pregnancy period - 1-2 trimester - the drug is prescribed only for lifelong indications. If the course taken lasts for a long time, there is a risk of impaired fetal growth. When taken in the 3rd trimester, there is a possibility of failure of the adrenal cortex in the fetus, which will require the newborn to take glucocorticoids.

Prednisolone - sentence or salvation!

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There are certain difficulties that happen in every person's life. Maybe some tests are sent to us from above? And they just need to be experienced, accepted and understood with dignity?

Everyone must decide for themselves: to fight for themselves, their loved ones, or to give up, “go with the flow” and whine that everything is bad.

So not long ago I had a test in the form of a serious illness. Accordingly, it was necessary to take a lot of pills, of which one of the strongest hormonal drugs was “prednisolone”.

In order not to beat around the bush, I will say more specifically, the doctors diagnosed me with “subacute thyroiditis” . Of course, there was an immediate shock! Of course I was upset.

After looking at the list of medications prescribed by the doctor, I decided to look into the all-knowing Internet. I read the forums and everything that directly or indirectly related to my disease. This is where I got a double shock! What I read did not inspire optimism, not even a little bit.

To say that I lost heart is to say nothing! She cried, took sedatives, and cried again. And at some point I decided - that’s it, stop whining and becoming limp, I need to do something.

The first thing I did in this situation was to accept and understand that I still needed treatment. That other, alternative, gentle treatment methods have not yet been invented. In any case, you will have to take this entire set of medications, and tears and stress can only make the situation worse.

Second, I pulled myself together and decided to take control of the disease and treatment and not let everything take its course.

The treatment regimen, specifically in my case, was as follows:

  • “Prednisolone” (5 mg tablets), 2 tablets 3 times a day.
  • "Panangin" 1 tablet 3 times a day.
  • "Omez" - 1 tablet in the evening.

A total of 10 tablets per day and almost all (except Omez) after meals.

The question arose, how to eat without harming your figure? I will say more: “prednisolone” slows down metabolic processes, inhibits the breakdown of simple (sweet) carbohydrates, proteins and fats. It’s not for nothing that many people, when taking hormones, complain of significant weight gain.

Prednisolone also removes potassium from the body. And potassium supports the heart, in particular its rhythm. And throughout the entire course of treatment with this drug, I suffer from severe insomnia.

It also retains fluid in the body, which makes the whole body swell, and there are “bags” under the eyes. These are not the majority of the side effects from this hormonal drug, but, in my opinion, they are quite significant.

Considering the peculiarities of the side effects of “prednisolone” and the treatment regimen, I decided;

  • during treatment, give up sweet carbohydrates (sweets and all confectionery products)
  • eat every 2 hours, but portions should not exceed the volume of a glass.
  • in each serving try to combine the correct proportions of proteins, fats, carbohydrates (30:20:50)
  • include in your diet foods containing the maximum amount of potassium - baked potatoes, raisins, millet.
  • temporarily give up coffee (it caused severe tachycardia in me). I replaced it with chicory and milk.
  • fight insomnia with non-medicinal means.
  • Eliminate salt as much as possible and try not to drink liquids 3 hours before bedtime.

Upon successful completion of my treatment, I decided to write a positive article to support those who are faced with a similar problem and want to help themselves.

As a result: in the evening I thought through my menu for tomorrow, so that in a panic I would not eat whatever came to hand. I ate every 2 hours (set an alarm clock).

And since the medication regimen was as follows:

  • from 6 to 7 o’clock the first time I took 2 tablets of “prednisolone” (I got up on the alarm clock, ate oatmeal with water, drank “prednisolone” and, if I didn’t have to get up early, went back to sleep)
  • from 9 to 10 o’clock – taking “panangin”,
  • from 12 to 13 o’clock again 2 tablets of “prednisolone”,
  • from 14 to 15 hours - “panangin”,
  • from 16 to 17 hours, last dose of prednisolone,
  • 18 – 19 hours last dose of “panangin”
  • 21.00 reception of "omez".

then I ate accordingly, taking into account the time. I took prednisolone tablets with milk.

Sweet confectionery products, replaced them with a mixture of dried apricots, raisins, walnuts, prunes, lemon and honey (all one to one), twisted in a meat grinder. I took 1 dessert spoon of this mixture in the first half of the day. Moreover, this mixture is “rich” in potassium.

I cooked millet milk porridge without butter in milk and without sugar.

I baked the potatoes in the oven with the skins on for 1 hour at a temperature of 200 degrees, having washed them clean in advance and pierced them through with a knife in several places.

In order to somehow fall asleep, I bought essential relaxing oils that have a sleeping pill and anti-inflammatory effect (clary sage, jasmine, lemongrass) and washed the floor in the bedroom before bed with the addition of (10-12 drops on the pelvis, having previously dissolved the oil in 50 grams. milk), placed napkins soaked in these oils around the room, lit an aromatic lamp, and wiped the body with olive oil with the addition of a few drops of one of these oils before going to bed. True, the fight against insomnia was with occasional success.

A week after starting treatment, I not only gained weight, I lost 1 kg! After 2 weeks, another 2 kg. Subsequently, the weight was maintained throughout the entire course of treatment.

Before my illness, I regularly did shaping, but during my illness, the doctor forbade me from physical activity and anything that increased metabolic processes, so as not to aggravate the course of the disease. But I decided to tense my muscles and relax them 100 times throughout the day. For example: I tensed my abs as I exhaled and relaxed as I inhaled. The buttocks, back, legs as well - tensed as you exhaled, relaxed as you inhaled.

As a result, after finishing the treatment (only 4 months), I endured the test given to me with dignity, lost weight, pumped up muscles in problem areas, recovered, gained experience, and wrote an article.

Of the minuses:

  • these are grown cheeks, like a hamster’s, which disappeared only 2 months after the last time I took prednisone
  • I still slept very poorly,
  • I love a bathhouse, but I can’t have that, under any circumstances.
  • I really missed shaping.
  • sometimes I really wanted to eat in the evening, and then I brewed flaxseed flour (1 tablespoon of flaxseed flour, 50 grams of water. Mixed water with flour and heated until thickened). Saw, one might say, ate this mixture before bed. It helped a lot.
  • The binding of food and time is annoying, especially if you are not at home.

That's all, and all my ordeals and difficulties are behind me! And I wish everyone who once faced a serious illness not to lose heart, but to pull themselves together and act.

After all, everything is in our hands! Good health to you!

Source: https://sweefts.ru/kak-uznat/krasota-i-zdorove/prednizolon/

How to take the drug correctly, how long you can drink it - dosage, instructions

Prednisolone tablets - instructions for use in adults:

  • How to take prednisolone tablets? Directions for use: inside. The amount of the drug taken is prescribed individually. The production of hormones in the body actively occurs internally, therefore, the main part of the drug (2/3) should be prescribed in the morning. You cannot stop taking it abruptly; the dosage is gradually reduced.
  • Prednisolone tablets dosage. The initial dose is 20-30 mg/day (4-6 tablets), maintenance dose (the amount of drug necessary to maintain a further therapeutic effect) is 5-10 mg/day (1-2 tablets). If there is an acute deficiency of these hormones, the initial dose can reach 15-100 mg per day (3-20 tablets). The highest daily dose is 0.1 g.

The only difference is in the dosages, the principle of administration is the same. The initial dose is 1-2 mg/kg per day, this amount should be taken in 4-6 doses. Maintenance dose – 0.3-0.6 mg/kg/day.

For cats and dogs

Depends on the animal’s body weight and the reason for taking it.

  • For inflammation - the ampoule is taken orally at 0.3-0.5 mg of the main substance per 1 kg of animal body weight. Carry out in 2 doses. A cat can take no more than 5 mg per day
  • To suppress immune activity, divide the capsule into 1-1.5 mg per 1 kg of weight. 2 doses per day. Even a kitten should not take more than 7 mg per day.

It is very important to know how long you can take prednisolone tablets; the correct course should not exceed 14 days.

Dexamethasone or prednisolone: ​​which is better and what is the difference (differences in composition, reviews from doctors)

Dexamethasone or Prednisolone are used in severe and life-threatening conditions. They are synthetic drugs, the most powerful steroids, used to quickly relieve not only inflammatory processes, but also allergic reactions. When used correctly, they do not cause side effects.

Characteristics of Prednisolone

Prednisolone has pronounced antiallergic, immunosuppressive, antishock and anti-inflammatory effects. In large doses, it reduces the intensity of the inflammatory process by inhibiting its proliferative phase and accelerating the processes of protein breakdown. Inhibits the process of lymphocyte development.

Prednisolone stimulates the synthesis of proteins in liver tissue and the inactivation of toxic products. Increases the stability of cell membranes. Stimulates the release of glucose into the blood. Inhibits the production of thyroid-stimulating and follicle-stimulating hormones. In high quantities, it increases the threshold of excitability of brain tissue.

In some patients, this drug activates excess synthesis of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.

Indicated for:

  • lupus;
  • thrombocytopenic purpura;
  • leukemia;
  • agranulocytosis;
  • eczema and exudative erythema multiforme;
  • pemphigus;
  • psoriasis;
  • baldness;
  • adrenogenital syndrome;
  • shock and emergency conditions;
  • hepatic coma;
  • hypoglycemia.

In the form of intra-articular injections, it is indicated for chronic polyarthritis, osteoarthritis of large joints, rheumatoid arthritis, and arthrosis.

Prednisolone is contraindicated for:

  • hypersensitivity to prednisolone;
  • Itsenko-Cushing's disease;
  • tendency to thromboembolism;
  • viral infectious diseases;
  • vaccination period;
  • cataracts;
  • glaucoma;
  • active form of tuberculosis;
  • decompensated diabetes mellitus;
  • psychosis;
  • herpes;
  • syphilis;
  • severe myopathy;
  • polio;
  • systemic mycosis.

The side effects of Prednisolone are the same as those of Dexamethasone. In some patients, the drug provokes the occurrence of:

  • increased irritability;
  • amnesia;
  • disturbances of consciousness;
  • temperature rise;
  • depression and suicidal tendencies;
  • a sharp increase in blood pressure.

Side effects of Prednisolone: ​​increased irritability, amnesia.

With abrupt cessation of treatment, withdrawal syndrome occurs. Patients are worried about headache, nausea, pain in the abdominal area, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and severe mental disorders.

Comparison of Dexamethasone and Prednisolone

A comparison of the characteristics of taking glucocorticosteroids shows that they are powerful agents in severe and emergency conditions. Although the drugs are in the same group, they are not the same thing. Prednisolone is not an analogue of Dexamethasone.

Similarities

Medicines belong to glucocorticosteroids. They have similar actions and method of application. Both drugs are used intramuscularly, intraarticularly or intravenously. The dosage depends on the severity of the pathology. An increase in the maximum daily dose (up to 390 mg) is determined by the doctor in the absence of treatment results.

General characteristics of the drugs:

  • have high activity;
  • have an anti-inflammatory effect;
  • relieve allergy symptoms;
  • suppress immunity;
  • have an antitoxic effect;
  • used in emergency treatment of shock;
  • not prescribed during pregnancy.

Differences

The difference between the means is as follows:

  1. Prednisolone is active for 1-1.5 days, while Dexamethasone is effective for up to 4 days.
  2. Prednisolone has a weaker effect.
  3. Prednisolone has more side effects.
  4. They have different effects on water-salt metabolism.
  5. Dexamethasone inhibits the activity of vitamin D.

What's stronger?

Clinical studies show that Prednisolone is 7 times weaker than Dexamethasone and 10 times weaker than Betamethasone. This ratio is taken into account when dosage recalculation is necessary.

Which is cheaper?

The cost of 3 ampoules of Prednisolone 1 ml is 33 rubles. The price of 100 tablets of the same medicine, 5 mg each, is 100 rubles.

Price 25 ampoules of Dexamethasone – 125 rubles. The cost of 10 tablets of Dexamethasone is 44 rubles.

What is better: Dexamethasone or Prednisolone?

It is impossible to unequivocally answer which of these drugs is better without analyzing the patient’s medical history. The choice of medication is made by a doctor based on the results of a diagnostic examination.

Each drug has a different dosage; if you take them incorrectly, the effect will not occur. It is necessary to study the compatibility of each drug when choosing the optimal dose.

The doctor selects equivalent doses.

Is it possible to take the drugs together?

It is strictly forbidden to take both medications at the same time.

Can they be replaced with each other?

In some cases, Prednisolone can be replaced with Dexamethasone, because The effect of this drug lasts longer, which allows you to take it less often. This measure makes it possible to maintain the therapeutic effect and reduce the likelihood of adverse reactions.

Reviews from doctors Dexamethasone and Prednisolone

Irina, therapist, 55 years old, Moscow: “For acute and emergency conditions associated with shock and allergies, I prescribe Dexamethasone to patients. This drug quickly relieves the symptoms of shock.

Most often, within a few minutes after the IV injection, signs of improvement are visible. If the injection is ineffective, I additionally use an intravenous infusion of the drug solution.

Patients tolerate treatment with Dexamethasone well; there were no side effects with this therapy.”

Claudia, therapist, 50 years old, St. Petersburg: “I prescribe Dexamethasone to patients with acute forms of allergies. Due to the fact that this drug reduces the activity of the immune system, I can get a lasting therapeutic effect. The drug helps prevent the development of an immune reaction and life-threatening complications. When used correctly, Prednisolone does not cause side effects.”

Pharmacological action of the drug

Regardless of the method of administration of Prednisolone, immediately after the penetration of the active substance of the drug into the human body, a powerful anti-inflammatory effect appears. Several biochemical mechanisms are involved in its development:

  • The drug inhibits the action of an enzyme that acts as a catalyst for special chemical reactions. Their final products are prostaglandins, synthesized from arachidonic acid and related to mediators of the inflammatory process. Blocking phospholipase A2 with Prednisolone manifests itself in the relief of pain, swelling and hyperemia;
  • After a foreign protein enters the human body, the immune system is activated. To eliminate the allergic agent, special white blood cells, as well as macrophages, are produced. But in patients with systemic diseases, the immune system gives a distorted response, reacting negatively to the body's own proteins. The action of Prednisolone is to inhibit the accumulation of cellular structures that ensure the occurrence of an inflammatory process in tissues;
  • The response of the immune system to the introduction of an allergic reaction agent is the production of immunoglobulins by lymphocytes and plasma cells. Specific receptors bind antibodies, which leads to the development of inflammation to remove foreign proteins from the body. The use of Prednisolone prevents the development of events in such a negative scenario for patients with systemic pathologies;
  • The therapeutic properties of glucocorticosteroids include immunosuppression, or a decrease in the functional activity of the immune system. This artificial state, provoked by taking Prednisolone, is necessary for the successful treatment of patients with systemic diseases - rheumatoid arthritis, severe forms of eczema and psoriasis.

With prolonged use of any dosage form of the drug, water and sodium ions begin to be intensively absorbed in the kidney tubules. Protein catabolism gradually increases, and destructive and degenerative changes occur in bone tissue. The negative consequences of treatment with Prednisolone include an increase in glucose levels in the bloodstream, which is closely related to the redistribution of fat in the subcutaneous tissue.

During the administration and withdrawal of Prednisolone, constant laboratory monitoring of changes in blood composition is carried out

Prednisolone is a synthetic glucocorticosteroid drug, a dehydrogenated analogue of hydrocortisone. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, immunosuppressive, anti-shock effects, increases the sensitivity of beta-adrenergic receptors to endogenous catecholamines.

Interacts with specific cytoplasmic receptors (receptors for glucocorticosteroids (GCS) are found in all tissues, especially in the liver) to form a complex that induces the formation of proteins (including enzymes that regulate vital processes in cells).

Acts on all stages of the inflammatory process: inhibits the synthesis of prostaglandins (Pg) at the level of arachidonic acid (lipocortin inhibits phospholipase A2, suppresses the release of arachidonic acid and inhibits the biosynthesis of endoperoxides, leukotrienes, which contribute to inflammation, allergies, etc.

Effect on protein metabolism: reduces the amount of globulins in plasma, increases albumin synthesis in the liver and kidneys (with an increase in the albumin/globulin ratio), reduces synthesis and increases protein catabolism in muscle tissue.

Effect on lipid metabolism: increases the synthesis of higher fatty acids and triglycerides, redistributes fat (fat accumulation occurs mainly in the shoulder girdle, face, abdomen), leads to the development of hypercholesterolemia.

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Effect on water-electrolyte metabolism: retains sodium ions (Na) and water in the body, stimulates the excretion of potassium ions (K) (mineralocorticosteroid activity), reduces the absorption of calcium ions (Ca2) from the gastrointestinal tract, causes “washing out” of calcium ions from bones and increasing its renal excretion, reduces bone mineralization.

The immunosuppressive effect is caused by the involution of lymphoid tissue, inhibition of the proliferation of lymphocytes (especially T lymphocytes), suppression of the migration of B cells and the interaction of T and B lymphocytes, inhibition of the release of cytokines (interleukin-1, 2; interferon gamma) from lymphocytes and macrophages and decreased antibody formation.

The antiallergic effect develops as a result of a decrease in the synthesis and secretion of allergic mediators, inhibition of the release of histamine and other biologically active substances from sensitized mast cells and basophils, a decrease in the number of circulating basophils, suppression of the development of lymphoid and connective tissue, a decrease in the number of T- and B-lymphocytes, mast cells, reducing the sensitivity of effector cells to allergy mediators, inhibiting antibody formation, changing the body's immune response.

Increases the sensitivity of beta-adrenergic receptors of small and medium-sized bronchi to endogenous catecholamines and exogenous sympathomimetics, reduces the viscosity of mucus by reducing its production. Suppresses the synthesis and secretion of ACTH and, secondarily, the synthesis of endogenous corticosteroids.

Pharmacokinetics

Absorption. When taken orally, prednisolone is well absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. The maximum concentration in the blood is achieved 1-1.5 hours after oral administration.

Distribution. Up to 90% of prednisolone is bound to plasma proteins: transcortin (cortisol-binding globulin) and albumin.

Excretion. It is excreted in the bile and kidneys by glomerular filtration and is 80-90% reabsorbed by the tubules. 20% of the dose is excreted unchanged by the kidneys. The plasma half-life after oral administration is 2-4 hours.

Indications

  • Systemic connective tissue diseases (systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, periarteritis nodosa, dermatomyositis, rheumatoid arthritis);
  • Acute and chronic inflammatory diseases of the joints - gouty and psoriatic arthritis, osteoarthritis (including post-traumatic), polyarthritis, glenohumeral periarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis (Bechterew's disease), rheumatoid arthritis, including juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, Still's syndrome in adults, bursitis, nonspecific tenosynovitis, synovitis and epicondylitis;
  • Acute rheumatism, acute rheumatic carditis;
  • Bronchial asthma;
  • Acute and chronic allergic diseases - incl. allergic reactions to drugs and foods, serum sickness, urticaria, allergic rhinitis, drug exanthema, hay fever, etc.;
  • Skin diseases - pemphigus, psoriasis, eczema, atopic dermatitis (common neurodermatitis), contact dermatitis (affecting a large surface of the skin), toxicerma, seborrheic dermatitis, exfoliative dermatitis, toxic epidermal necrolysis (Lyell's syndrome), bullous dermatitis herpetiformis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome ;
  • Cerebral edema (only after confirmation of symptoms of increased intracranial pressure by magnetic resonance or computed tomography) caused by a brain tumor and/or associated with surgery or radiation therapy, after parenteral use of prednisolone;
  • Allergic eye diseases: allergic forms of conjunctivitis;
  • Inflammatory eye diseases - sympathetic ophthalmia, severe sluggish anterior and posterior uveitis, optic neuritis;
  • Primary or secondary adrenal insufficiency (including the condition after removal of the adrenal glands). The drugs of choice are hydrocortisone or cortisone; if necessary, synthetic analogues can be used in combination with mineralocorticosteroids; The addition of mineralocorticosteroids is especially important in children;
  • Congenital adrenal hyperplasia;
  • Kidney diseases of autoimmune origin (including acute glomerulonephritis); nephrotic syndrome (including against the background of lipoid nephrosis);
  • Subacute thyroiditis;
  • Diseases of the blood and hematopoietic system - agranulocytosis, panmyelopathy, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, lympho- and myeloid leukemia, lymphogranulomatosis, thrombocytopenic purpura, secondary thrombocytopenia in adults, erythroblastopenia (erythrocyte anemia), congenital (erythroid) hypoplastic anemia;
  • Interstitial lung diseases - acute alveolitis, pulmonary fibrosis, stage II-III sarcoidosis;
  • Tuberculous meningitis, pulmonary tuberculosis, aspiration pneumonia (in combination with specific chemotherapy);
  • Berylliosis, Loeffler's syndrome (not amenable to other therapy); lung cancer (in combination with cytostatics);
  • Multiple sclerosis;
  • Gastrointestinal diseases - ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, local enteritis;
  • Hepatitis;
  • Prevention of graft rejection during organ transplantation;
  • Hypercalcemia due to cancer;
  • Multiple myeloma.

Contraindications

Dexamethasone or Prednisolone – which is better? Shocking truth! – dosug5.info

Prednisolone and Dexamethasone should not be included in the list of medications used if the patient suffers from hypersensitivity to the components of the composition

Particular care should be taken with such ailments as: . Peptic ulcer

Peptic ulcer

  • peptic ulcer;
  • diverticulitis;
  • gastritis;
  • intestinal anastomosis;
  • systemic osteoporosis;
  • immunodeficiency.

The risk of negative consequences when taking Dexamethasone is increased if the patient's medical history includes pathologies of the endocrine and cardiovascular systems. A significant cause for concern is parasite infestation. Dexamethasone is not recommended to be taken (administered) during pregnancy or lactation. Another limitation may be children's age.

Prednisolone also has “special” contraindications, including:

Tuberculosis

  • tuberculosis;
  • kidney inflammation;
  • Itsenko-Cushing's disease;
  • syphilis;
  • diabetes mellitus (regardless of type).

Elderly people and minor patients are at risk.

Recommended dosage for adult patients

The tablets must be taken with distilled water. They are swallowed whole. Chewing this medicine or making crystalline powder out of it is not recommended. The required time for taking is 6-8 am. At least 2/3 of the daily dose should be taken early in the morning. It is at this time that the effect of the medicine increases.

  • For serious illnesses in severe form, patients need to take at least 50-75 milligrams of the drug. This dose is identical to taking 10-15 pieces per day.
  • For chronic diseases, it is recommended to take 20-30 milligrams, which is equal to 4-6 tablets.
  • After the body returns to normal, the dosage of the drug must be reduced to 5-15 milligrams per day.

The duration of therapy may vary. It integrally depends on the patient’s health condition and is prescribed by a specialist.

Diluted powder for preparing an intravenous solution, as well as a ready-made solution, can be used by both adults and children. The required dose, course of therapy and option for introducing the medicine into the body are prescribed by a specialist. Injections must be performed between 6 and 8 am. Injections must be done early in the morning.

The recommended one-time dosage is 50-150 milliliters of solution. When re-administered, the dosage should be the same. The injection interval is 3-4 hours.

The ointment is applied in a thin layer to the skin with light massaging movements one to three times a day. The duration of treatment is from 6 to 14 days.

As soon as improvement occurs, use of the drug should be discontinued. Do not apply a bandage on top of the gel.

Otherwise, a large amount of the drug may be absorbed into the blood and cause side effects. It is not recommended to use the medicine for more than two weeks.

Eye drops should be instilled one or two drops three times a day. For acute diseases, instillation should be made every 2-4 hours. After surgical interventions, the drug can be used only on the fifth day after surgery.

Once the condition improves, therapy should be discontinued.

Patient reviews

Margarita, 26 years old, Mozhaisk: “I have keloid scars on my body that look extremely unaesthetic. The doctor prescribed Diprospan injections. I did them twice a day for 5 days. After that, I took tablets of this medication for a week. The scars have practically disappeared, there have been no side effects.”

Oksana, 49 years old, Murmansk: “I have long suffered from inflammation of the joints, which is why I could not move normally. The doctor prescribed Dexamethasone injections. The pain went away on the second day of treatment. After a course of therapy, I took 1 tablet once a day for 2 weeks. As a result, the pain syndrome completely disappeared, and no undesirable reactions of the body were observed.”

Characteristics of Dexamethasone

Dexamethasone is a glucocorticosteroid agent that has pronounced anti-inflammatory and anti-shock effects. Reduces the activity of immune system cells. It has pronounced antitoxic and antiallergic effects.

The drug stimulates the formation of proteins that inhibit phospholipase-A2. Reduces the intensity of formation of arachidonic acid and substances that provoke inflammation. The drug reduces the level of globulins and increases the synthesis of albumin in the kidneys.

Dexamethasone promotes the accumulation of fat in the face, abdomen, and shoulder area. Leads to a slight increase in the amount of cholesterol in the blood. Increases the amount of glucose by activating the release of this substance from the liver.

It is an antagonist of vitamin D, therefore it flushes calcium salts from bone tissue.

Dexamethasone or Prednisolone is used to quickly relieve not only inflammatory processes, but also allergic reactions.

The drug is indicated for:

  • shock resistant to standard measures;
  • anaphylactic shock;
  • insufficient production of cortisol by the adrenal cortex due to a congenital disease of this organ, subacute inflammation of the thyroid gland;
  • pathologies of the adrenal axis;
  • cerebral edema caused by radiation injury, encephalitis, traumatic brain injury, tumor, neurosurgery, hemorrhage and meningitis;
  • asthmatic status;
  • pronounced narrowing of the lumen of the bronchi;
  • rheumatism;
  • pronounced allergic manifestations;
  • collagenoses (systemic lesions of connective tissues);
  • some malignant diseases (leukemia, lymphoma);
  • calcium accumulation;
  • dermatosis;
  • some blood pathologies (thrombocytopenic idiopathic purpura, hemolytic anemia and agranulocytosis);
  • infectious diseases;
  • arthritis;
  • lupus erythematosus;
  • granuloma annulare;
  • keloid scars.

Dexamethasone is contraindicated in:

  • pathological bleeding caused by the use of anticoagulants;
  • plastic surgery of joints;
  • intra-articular fractures;
  • infectious joint damage.

The medicine causes the following side effects:

  • metabolic disorders in the form of water retention, sodium retention, excess excretion of potassium, increased appetite and deposition of excess subcutaneous fat;
  • intensive formation of blood clots;
  • arrhythmia, progression of heart failure;
  • disturbances of the digestive processes, manifested in the form of nausea, enlargement of the liver, the appearance of ulcers on the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines;
  • increased fatigue;
  • changes in skin structure;
  • development of steroid diabetes and Itsenko-Cushing syndrome;
  • menstrual irregularities
  • delayed sexual development in children.

Dexamethasone is contraindicated in: pathological bleeding provoked by the use of anticoagulants.

Which is better Dexamethasone or Prednisolone

It is impossible to unequivocally answer which of these drugs is better without analyzing the patient’s medical history. The choice of medication is made by a doctor based on the results of a diagnostic examination.

Each drug has a different dosage; if you take them incorrectly, the effect will not occur. It is necessary to study the compatibility of each drug when choosing the optimal dose.

The doctor selects equivalent doses.

For osteochondrosis

To relieve pain caused by the inflammatory effect, it is better to prescribe Dexamethasone. Prednisolone is used much less frequently in this case.

For allergies

Dexamethasone for allergies is used when therapy with other drugs is ineffective. In most cases, this medication has a quick and fairly strong effect.

In cases of severe allergic reactions, the effect of Prednisolone is weak. Therefore, experts recommend starting treatment with Dexamethasone.

For asthma

In case of an asthma attack, doctors prescribe either Prednisolone or Dexamethasone. If long-term therapy is necessary, preference is given to Dexamethasone.

In sports

Thanks to the action of Dexamethasone, the intensity of anabolism increases. Taking small doses of this drug (subject to intense training) gives a steady increase in muscle mass.

The minimum dosage of Prednisolone is 0.5-1.5 mg per day.

Which drug is better

When choosing which is better, Dexamethasone or Prednisolone, you must follow your doctor's recommendations . This is due to the fact that each of these drugs has a different dosage of the main substance.

It is known that various drugs, which include natural hormones, act on the body in different ways. For example, hydrocortisone is 4 times weaker, and metypred or triamcinolone is 20% stronger than Prednisolone.

At the same time, Prednisolone is 7 times weaker than Dexamethasone and 10 times weaker than Betamethasone.

When deciding on one or another hormonal drug, the doctor will definitely take into account the degree of the disease and the general physical condition of the patient. Of course, for each specific case, the doctor will choose the appropriate medicine, but will never recommend taking Prednisolone together with Dexamethasone.

Side effects

Negative consequences after short-term use are extremely rare. Basically, the consequences affecting human health occur in people prone to various allergic reactions. Long-term treatment can cause deterioration of health and irreversible consequences. With long-term use of the medicine, the following may occur:

Source: https://AlergiaHelp.ru/lekarstva/deksametazon-ili-diprospan-chto-luchshe-2.html

Reviews about treatment with Prednisolone tablets

Regarding reviews, you will have to deal with quite conflicting opinions. But common ones were identified.

Positive:

  • effective in combating inflammation and allergies;
  • Has a low cost.

Negative:

  • A large number of side effects that appear within a few days.
  • You need to stop taking glucocorticoids according to a special, rather complex, regimen.
  • Sometimes it is better to give an injection of the drug.

As a result, 50% of patients recommend this drug for use.

PREDNISOONE is a multifunctional hormonal drug.

Despite the numerous side effects of Prednisolone, for most patients with systemic diseases it is the first choice drug. A negative consequence of its use is the suppression of the immune system, in this case leading to long-term remission of the pathology. Prednisolone has high therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of the following diseases:

  • anaphylactic shock, angioedema, serum sickness;
  • rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis;
  • acute gouty arthritis, dermatomyositis, systemic vasculitis, mesoarteritis, periarteritis nodosa;
  • pemphigus, mycotic skin lesions, seborrheic and exfoliative dermatitis, bullous dermatitis herpetiformis;
  • hemolysis, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, congenital aplastic anemia.

Prednisolone is included by doctors in therapeutic regimens for malignant neoplasms, chronic hepatitis of various etiologies, leukemia, and tuberculous meningitis. The drug is also used to prevent the immune system from rejecting transplants.

Since the hormonal drug is prescribed only for the treatment of serious pathologies that are difficult to treat with other medications, there are few contraindications to its use:

  • individual sensitivity to the main substance and auxiliary ingredients;
  • infections caused by pathogenic fungi.

Prednisolone is prescribed only for life-threatening conditions to patients with ulcerative lesions of the gastrointestinal tract, certain endocrine pathologies, as well as pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding.

Doctors strictly prohibit taking Prednisolone on an empty stomach. If a person does not have the opportunity to have a snack, and the pill must be taken urgently, then you can drink a glass of milk or fruit juice. A diet during treatment with Prednisolone is necessary to minimize the effects of taking glucocorticosteroids and reduce the severity of their symptoms. During the course of treatment, patients should include foods high in potassium in their diet. These include:

  • dried fruits - raisins, dried apricots;
  • potatoes baked with skin;
  • fermented milk products - low-fat cottage cheese, kefir, fermented baked milk, Varenets.

We suggest you familiarize yourself with the signs of bladder disease in men

Since taking Prednisolone provokes increased catabolism of proteins, the patient’s daily menu should contain protein foods: meat, river and sea fish, seafood. It is worth giving preference to stewed vegetables, fresh fruits, and nuts. The less fat was used in cooking, the safer the use of Prednisolone will be.

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Should I use prednisolone for allergies? Dexamethasone or prednisolone, which is better for allergies?

Prednisolone is a medicine made from a synthetic hormone.
It actively suppresses the production of histamine, reducing the allergic reaction and normalizing the body's functioning (relieves swelling and itching). Prednisolone intravenously for allergies is used for anaphylactic shock. The drug promotes the rapid production of adrenaline, which helps to narrow blood vessels, thereby increasing blood pressure. This is crucial for saving the patient.

Compound

Any form of synthetic glucocorticosteroid contains Prednisolone. Components necessary for better absorption of the drug, to maintain its sterility and therapeutic effect are used as additional substances.

Use of Prednisolone orally

Using the solution internally

Prednisolone injections are effective for:

  1. acute food allergies;
  2. anaphylactic shock;
  3. feverish pustular psoriasis.

The solution is administered intramuscularly or intravenously over several days. If the patient has angioedema, the dose is administered once. The attending physician determines how much of the drug to administer to the patient. After a short course of injections, Prednisolone tablets should be taken for 2 weeks.

For severe chronic bronchial asthma, injections of this drug may also be prescribed. This is necessary if inhalations are no longer able to cope with the problem.

After the first injection, breathing is restored. The therapeutic course of Prednisone in this case cannot be long.

Otherwise, the patient’s body will get used to the drug and stop secreting corticosteroids on its own.

Prednisolone is administered for bronchial asthma every other day. A double dose of the drug is prescribed to avoid adverse reactions and prevent inhibition of the function of the adrenal cortex.

External dosage forms

Prednisolone in the form of ointments should be used...

Similarities of drugs

It is often difficult to immediately say that Dexamethasone or Prednisolone is better, since both of these drugs belong to the same category of drugs - glucocorticosteroids, i.e. natural substances produced by the adrenal cortex.

They have a number of similar characteristics:

  • Unlike natural hormones, both Dexamethasone and Prednisolone are more active at lower doses;
  • They have an equally good anti-inflammatory effect on the body;
  • They relieve allergic symptoms well due to the ability to release histamine from mast cells;
  • Have an antitoxic effect;
  • The immunosuppressive properties of both drugs are equally effective in reducing disturbances to the body's immune system;
  • They are used in anti-shock therapy because they greatly increase blood pressure;
  • They are used for the same indications.

Dexamethasone and Prednisolone are widely used both in emergency care and in the fight against systemic diseases.

What are the consequences of incorrect use?

Effect on the body:

  1. Adrenal gland dysfunction.
  2. Diabetes.
  3. Gastrointestinal lesions: gastric and duodenal ulcers, perforation and bleeding, pancreatitis.
  4. Damage to the nervous system: reactions to long-term use vary: from euphoria to psychosis and depression.
  5. Increased blood pressure, intracranial and intraocular pressure.
  6. If prone to cardiovascular diseases, it causes arrhythmia, brachycardia, thrombosis, and slows down the formation of scars during a heart attack.
  7. Sudden loss of vision. When using the medicine in the head and neck area, the substance may be released in the lens of the eye.
  8. Allergic reactions up to anaphylactic shock.
  9. Decreased immunity.

Danger for children

Prednisolone for allergies for pediatric patients is used under the strict supervision of a pediatrician and pediatric allergist. Long-term use can cause serious developmental disorders: impaired growth, hormone production, delayed puberty.

When using ointment, diapers and diapers have a dressing effect and increase the amount of active substance that penetrates the bloodstream. Their use must be abandoned.

The course is prescribed as short as possible, and the dose is reduced to a minimum while maintaining effectiveness.

During pregnancy and breastfeeding

During pregnancy, Prednisolone is used only as a last resort, when the life of the mother is threatened. It penetrates the placental barrier and can cause side effects in the child. Systemic forms (tablets and injections) in the third trimester threaten the fetus with adrenal atrophy, which will require replacement therapy.

It passes into breast milk, so breastfeeding should be discontinued.

Symptoms of Quincke's edema

  1. Nuts can provoke allergies not all the time, but during the flowering period of the hazel tree.
  2. Apples increase the risk of an allergic reaction when consumed together with pears, cherries, cherries, and quince.
  3. Some products often provoke allergic reactions when used simultaneously with certain medications.

    Thus, you cannot combine the intake of acetylsalicylic acid with the consumption of berries and fruits (grapes, raspberries, strawberries, peaches, apricots and plums). A chicken egg gives a reaction when taken simultaneously with interferon and lysozyme. Kefir should not be consumed during treatment with penicillin antibiotics.

  4. Bread and cereals are not allergens in themselves. And at the same time, they can cause a reaction during the flowering of cereal plants (wheat, rye, oats, wheatgrass).
  5. It is not advisable to consume kefir simultaneously with mold fungi and mold varieties of cheese.
  6. Cow's milk can become an allergen if consumed simultaneously with veal and beef products and dishes. It is not advisable to drink cow's and goat's milk at the same time.
  7. When consuming seafood and fish, you should choose one. Simultaneous consumption of fish dishes with shrimp, shellfish, crab or caviar can also lead to allergies.

Thus, for the prevention and treatment of Quincke's edema, it is very important to correctly create a nutritious diet for the patient, completely or partially excluding eggs, fish dishes, chocolate, nuts, and citrus fruits from the menu. These foods can cause angioedema, even if they are not the root cause of the allergy. In this way, you can minimize the risk of developing edema.

Quincke's edema is a dangerous disease that poses a threat not only to human health, but also to human life. It should be treated with full responsibility. For such patients, the following can be recommended. Firstly, always have some antiallergic drug on hand.

Secondly, try to completely eliminate contact with the allergen. Thirdly, always have with you a bracelet or an individual card indicating your full name, date of birth, and the contact number of the attending physician.

In this case, in the event of a sudden rapid development of the disease, even strangers who find themselves close to the sick person will be able to orient themselves and provide timely assistance.

Nadelson Evgeniy Nikolaevich, allergist

Features of internal use

There are 3 basic rules in the use of prednisolone. A drug:

  1. not used for prophylactic purposes;
  2. not prescribed if there is an alternative in the form of another non-steroidal drug;
  3. Use only on the recommendation of a doctor.

Prednisolone is available in the form of ointments, tablets, injections, eye and ear drops. The prescription of a particular dosage form depends on the type of disease, the severity of its course and the age of the patient.

Injections are used as an emergency measure for anaphylactic shock, acute attacks of food allergies, and pustular psoriasis accompanied by fever. The drug is administered intravenously or intramuscularly every 4-6 hours for several days. Prednisolone is prescribed once for angioedema.

After many days of parenteral (injection) treatment, following the principle of gradual withdrawal of steroid drugs, the patient is transferred to oral therapy (taking tablets). Dosages are selected by the doctor individually, depending on the age of the patient and the clinical picture of the disease. The general course of taking the medication in such cases lasts 10-14 days.

Indications for the use of tablet forms of the drug are also severe chronic pathologies, such as bronchial asthma or urticaria.

For bronchial asthma, hormonal therapy is carried out over several weeks or months.

Longer use of prednisone may cause the body to become accustomed to external corticosteroids and stop producing them on its own.

The drug is prescribed in the “mini-pulse” mode: every other day, but in double the daily dose. This method avoids suppression of the function of the adrenal cortex and reduces the risk of side effects. Once the planned effect is achieved, the dose is reduced to the minimum, then the drug is discontinued altogether.

Treatment of urticaria with prednisolone is carried out in the shortest possible course - within 3-4 days. A corticosteroid is used only if the patient does not improve while taking antihistamines.

Source: https://probol.info/allergiya/stoit-li-ispolzovat-prednizolon-ot-allergii-deksametazon-ili-prednizolon-chto-luchshe-pri-allergii.html

Side effects of the drug

During the research, a relationship was established between taking certain doses of Prednisolone and the number of side effects that occur. The drug taken in a small dose over a long period of time caused fewer negative effects compared to the use of large doses over a short period. Patients were diagnosed with the following side effects of Prednisolone:

  • hirsutism;
  • hypokalemia, glucosuria, hyperglycemia;
  • impotence;
  • depression, confusion;
  • delusions, hallucinations;
  • emotional instability.

A course of medication often causes increased fatigue, weakness, drowsiness or insomnia. A decrease in the functional activity of the immune system leads to frequent relapses of chronic pathologies, viral and bacterial infectious diseases.

Long-term use of high doses of Prednisolone provokes the accumulation of fluid in the tissues. This condition leads to a narrowing of the diameter of blood vessels and an increase in blood pressure. Hypertension, usually systolic, gradually develops, often accompanied by persistent heart failure. These pathologies of the cardiovascular system were diagnosed in more than 10% of patients taking glucocorticosteroid drugs.

Endocrine system

The use of Prednisolone often causes addiction to glucose and an increase in its content in the blood serum. People who are genetically predisposed or prone to developing diabetes are at risk. Therefore, this endocrine pathology is a contraindication for taking glucocorticosteroids.

The use of glucocorticosteroids in the treatment of various pathologies is contraindicated in patients with ulcerative lesions of the stomach and (or) duodenum. Long-term use of Prednisolone can provoke destructive and degenerative changes in the mucous membranes and deeper layers of the gastrointestinal tract.

In patients taking Prednisolone for a long time, the consequences were expressed in the form of myopathy. It is a chronic progressive neuromuscular disease characterized by primary muscle damage. A person experiences weakness and wasting of the proximal muscles due to impaired absorption of calcium in the intestine, a trace element necessary for the optimal functioning of the musculoskeletal system. This process is reversible - the severity of myopathy symptoms decreases after stopping Prednisolone.

Contraindications

  • Overproduction of the thyroid gland.
  • High blood pressure.
  • Disturbance in the arachidonic acid metabolite.
  • Problems with glucose tolerance.
  • Obesity.
  • Osteoporosis. Glucocorticosteroids promote calcium leaching.
  • Various forms of psychosis.
  • Stomach ulcer. The drug stimulates the production of hydrochloric acid.
  • Presence of infectious diseases. Prednisolone inhibits the action of the immune system, which is necessary to fight pathogenic microorganisms.

Side effects:

  • Digestive system. Increased acidity in the stomach (hypersecretion of hydrochloric acid), nausea, vomiting, increased formation of gases, decreased appetite.
  • Endocrine system. An increased amount of glucocorticosteroids - Itsenko-Cushing syndrome, increased sugar levels (possible development of diabetes), decreased functioning of the adrenal cortex.
  • Metabolism. Sodium is retained, potassium is actively excreted. Sodium retains water, which leads to the formation of edema. The excretion of proteins exceeds their intake - a negative nitrogen balance.
  • Cardiovascular. Increased blood pressure, failures and slowdown of heart activity.
  • Skeletal and muscular system. Decreased muscle mass (lack of proteins), osteoporosis (calcium is actively washed away), growth retardation in children.
  • Leather. Slower wound healing (impaired reparative function of connective tissue), tendency to candidiasis, acne.
  • Nervous system. The appearance of psychosis.
  • Organ of vision. Glaucoma may develop.
  • Other: decreased resistance to infections, increased blood clotting.

Comparison of Prednisolone or Dexamethasone: which drug is better and more effective?

If it is necessary to treat asthma with glucocorticosteroids, patients often have a question: to use Dexamethasone or Prednisolone for therapy, which one is better? Many people believe that drugs are interchangeable or that each of them is an analogue of the other. Is it so? To understand this issue, you need to clearly understand how these drugs are similar to each other and how they differ.

What common

Taking into account the fact that Dexamethasone and Prednisolone belong to the same group of drugs - they are synthetic glucocorticosteroids (an analogue of hormones produced by the adrenal cortex), these two drugs have much in common:

  1. Unlike natural hormones, both drugs are more active in the body at significantly lower doses.
  2. Similar effect. Both Dexamethasone and Prednisolone, when introduced into the body, exhibit a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, regardless of the etiology of the process. This occurs due to the suppression of substances that stimulate the inflammatory process - prostaglandins, thromboxane and others, as well as increased microcirculation at the site of inflammation.
  3. Both drugs are approximately equally effective for allergic reactions due to the suppression of the formation of antibodies, the release of histamine from mast cells and other processes.
  4. Both drugs also have a powerful antitoxic effect.
  5. Both substances equally inhibit the body's immune response due to immunosuppressive properties.
  6. Medicines in this group increase blood pressure, which explains their antishock effect.

Also, both drugs have the same indications for use. In addition to emergency care, these medications are effective in the treatment of systemic diseases, as well as atopic, autoimmune, allergic processes, incl. and for bronchial asthma.

The breakdown of glucocorticosteroids occurs in the liver, and the breakdown products are excreted by the kidneys.

Differences between drugs

Dexamethasone differs from Prednisolone in a number of characteristics:

  1. Duration of activity. Prednisolone's biological effect is shorter than that of Dexamethasone, and lasts about a day to one and a half days, while for Dexamethasone it reaches three to four days.
  2. The drugs also differ in their potency of activity. Dexamethasone is almost 30 times stronger in anti-inflammatory action than Prednisolone.
  3. Effect on water-salt metabolism. The difference is that Dexamethasone has virtually no effect on the content of electrolytes in the body.
  4. There is also one more, most significant difference. These two drugs, despite the same effect they produce, have completely different mechanisms of action. As a result, completely different processes occur in the body, which do not always have a positive effect in each specific case.
  5. With long-term use of hormone therapy, the choice of Prednisolone will be more preferable, because the short half-life of the drug from the body leads to a significant reduction in the number of side effects.
  6. During pregnancy, it is also better to carry out therapy with Prednisolone, because Fluorinated Dexamethasone may be teratogenic.

Therefore, it is incorrect to say that any of these drugs is a full-fledged analogue of the other.

What's better

When choosing which drug to use for treatment, Dexamethasone or Prednisolone, you should choose the one recommended by your doctor. This is due to a number of reasons:

  • different dosages of the active substance in different drugs of the glucocorticosteroid group, as well as different durations of action of the medicine on the body;
  • It has also been established that each drug containing an adrenal hormone is not an analogue of all other drugs, but a separate drug with its own special mechanism of action on the body.

In order to replace one of the hormones with another, doctors used to change the dosage to “one to one”. This rule has now been abandoned due to the above circumstances.

When choosing between Dexamethasone and Prednisolone, the doctor must take into account the severity of the disease, the frequency of asthmatic attacks, the general condition of the patient and a number of other indicators of the body.

The doctor will also choose the most appropriate form of release of the drug for a particular patient.

If glucocorticosteroids are prescribed to relieve acute attacks, there will be an inhalation method of introducing the medicine into the body.

For long-term therapy, tablet forms of the drug will be preferable. To provide urgent care to a patient in serious condition, hormones are selected for parenteral administration.

Rules for taking hormones

When treating bronchial asthma with hormones, in order not to cause irreparable harm to the body, you must adhere to the following rules:

  1. Strictly adhere to the dosage prescribed by your doctor. You should not change the dose of the drug without permission.
  2. Take the medicine at the same time as directed by your doctor.
  3. In no case should you stop taking glucocorticosteroids without permission. This will lead to the development of “withdrawal syndrome”. In this case, a sharp exacerbation of the disease occurs against the background of elevated body temperature, pain in joints and muscles, and general malaise. In severe cases, convulsions, collapse, and acute cardiovascular failure may occur.

You only need to quit hormone therapy gradually, reducing the dose under the constant supervision of a doctor!

When using hormone treatment for bronchial asthma, it must be borne in mind that with local therapy, for example, by inhalation, side effects are much lower than when hormones are introduced into the body parenterally or orally. Also, local use of glucocorticosteroids is practically safe for the body, in contrast to the toxic effect of general hormone therapy.

A single dose of glucocorticosteroids can range from 5 mg and higher, depending on the patient’s condition and the nature of the disease. In children, the dosage is calculated based on the formula 1 mg of the active ingredient per 1 kg of the child’s weight.

The single and daily dose of a hormone-containing medicinal substance is determined only by the attending physician. Unauthorized changes in the dosage of glucocorticosteroids can lead to serious consequences.

Complications

When using any drug from the glucocorticosteroid group to treat bronchial asthma, you can expect the development of side effects:

  1. At the beginning of hormonal therapy, an increase in body weight, various sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, and psycho-emotional instability are observed.
  2. With further use of these drugs, acne appears on the skin, blood pressure rises, and blood sugar increases, leading to the development of diabetes.
  3. With long-term treatment with glucocorticosteroids, cataracts, osteoporosis, replacement of liver tissue with fatty tissue, atherosclerosis, and skin atrophy may develop.

To prevent the development of these and other complications, during treatment with adrenal hormones, it is necessary to constantly monitor the patient with your doctor. The patient’s body weight, blood pressure, and glucose levels in the blood and urine are taken under control. The composition of electrolytes in plasma should also be checked regularly. In addition, monitoring by a gastroenterologist and ophthalmologist is important.

If side effects develop, a suitable non-steroidal analogue should be used instead of a hormonal drug. Only the attending physician should change medications.

Source:

Comparison of prednisolone and dexamethasone - causes, recommendations, stages, photos

Achilles tendonitis is a pathology that occurs in the Achilles tendon and is accompanied by an inflammatory process. The main cause of the disease is intense stress on the calf muscles - both in experienced athletes and in people without the necessary physical training.

Clinical manifestations of tendinitis include swelling, pain in the foot and limited mobility. The patient is prescribed a series of laboratory and instrumental studies (radiography, magnetic resonance imaging).

Their results make it possible to differentiate the pathology and carry out adequate conservative treatment.

Characteristic features of the disease

Damage to the structural components of the Achilles tendon is the most striking manifestation of rheumatic pathologies of the periarticular soft tissues. This most powerful ligament in the human body is formed by the tendons of the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles, which explains its resistance to increased loads.

Achilles tendinitis in more than 50% of cases is the result of sports injuries, especially in older patients. After 45 years, the rigidity of the terminal structure of striated muscles increases due to a decrease in the production of elastin and collagen.

The range of motion in the ankle joints gradually decreases.

Tendinitis can also be a degenerative pathology. Pain in the ankle and redness of the skin are often mistaken for sprain symptoms.

The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs temporarily reduces the severity of clinical manifestations, but does not eliminate their cause.

Further development of destructive and degenerative changes is accompanied by fibrosis, neoangiogenesis, and in some cases, calcification. At this stage, the disease can be recognized by the following signs:

  • with an increase in physical activity, a characteristic crackling sound can be clearly heard;
  • the diseased tendon is somewhat thicker than the healthy one, which is noticeable when palpating them.

To carry out adequate therapy, it is important to establish the form of the Achilles tendon lesion. If during a differential examination inflammation of the periarticular soft tissues is detected, the patient is diagnosed with peritendinitis.

Enthesopathy is diagnosed when pathology is detected, localized at the sites of tendon attachment to the heel bones. With this disease, the formation of heel spurs and calcified lesions in the muscle fibers sometimes occurs.

With a sedentary lifestyle, rigidity of the Achilles tendon appears and ankle mobility decreases. In such cases, inflammation begins even with minor loads on the joint.

Source: https://dp3.ru/krov/sravnenie-prednizolona-ili-deksametazona-kakoj-preparat-luchshe-i-effektivnee.html

Withdrawal syndrome

Abrupt withdrawal of Prednisolone can provoke serious consequences, including the development of collapse and even coma. Therefore, doctors always inform patients about the inadmissibility of skipping a glucocorticosteroid or unauthorized termination of treatment. Prescribing high daily dosages often leads to improper functioning of the adrenal cortex. When discontinuing the drug, the doctor recommends that the patient take vitamins C and E to stimulate the functioning of these paired organs of the endocrine system.

Dangerous consequences that occur after stopping Prednisolone therapy also include:

  • return of pathological symptoms, including pain;
  • headache;
  • sudden fluctuations in body weight;
  • worsening mood;
  • dyspeptic disorders.

In this case, the patient should resume taking the drug for several weeks, and then, under the supervision of a doctor, gradually reduce the single and daily dosages. During the withdrawal of Prednisolone, the doctor monitors the main indicators: body temperature, blood pressure. The most informative tests include laboratory tests of blood and urine.

Proper nutrition allows you to avoid the negative consequences of taking Prednisolone

Interaction with other drugs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geuM-E0hRH0

The combined use of anticoagulants with glucocorticoids - substances that reduce the activity of the blood coagulation system, which helps prevent the formation of blood clots, can either enhance or reduce their effect.

  • The use of other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in addition increases the likelihood of gastric ulcers.
  • Prednisolone reduces the effect of medications that lower blood sugar.
  • Activators for liver enzymes increase the excretion of this drug, which reduces its effect by approximately 2 times.
  • Cytochrome inhibitors (participate in the reactions of neutralization of xenobiotics and drugs) increase the content of prednisolone in the blood, thereby enhancing its effect.
  • Estrogens slow down the metabolism of this drug.
  • Use together with diuretics or laxatives can increase the excretion of potassium ions from the body. This leads to impaired cell excitability and hyperpolarization.
  • Prednisolone is an active immunosuppressant, which increases the effectiveness of immunosuppressive drugs.
  • When vaccinated with live organisms along with a course of corticosteroids, it can lead to the development of this viral disease
  • An antihistamine reduces the activity of prednisolone.
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