Prednisone is a corticosteroid widely used to treat inflammatory diseases, especially of the skin, bones or muscles, helping to relieve pain, redness and swelling. However, it can still be used in some cases as antiallergic and antirheumatic.
This medicine can be found in 5 or 20 mg tablets and can be bought with a prescription under the trade names Corticorten, Predicorten, Predinis, Prednison or Meticorten. In addition, it can still be found in the form of injectable or eye drops being manufactured by laboratories like Medley, EMS or Neo Chemistry, for example.
The price of Prednisone varies between 11 and 16 reais depending on the amount per box, the form of presentation and the brand that sells it.
What is it for
Prednisone is indicated for the treatment of endocrine diseases, bone and muscle diseases, collagen disorders, skin diseases, allergic diseases, eye diseases, respiratory diseases, blood disorders, tumors and others that respond to corticosteroid treatment.
Dosage and direction
Prednisone can be used in tablets, injections or drops, and should only be used for medical indication according to the disease. However, the doctor usually says:
- Adults: the dose ranges from 5 to 60 mg per day, starting at low doses and increasing as needed;
- Children: 0.14 to 2 mg per kg body weight per day, starting at low doses and increasing as needed.
After obtaining a favorable response, the physician can reduce the dosage gradually until reaching the maintenance dose, which is the lowest dose with adequate clinical response
It is recommended to take the tablet with a little water in the morning and in the case of injectable prednisolone, this should always be applied by a nurse or doctor.
Possible side effects
Prednisone may cause increased blood pressure due to sodium and fluid retention, muscle weakness, stomach distension, and skin changes such as thin, blemished skin, decreased motility and sperm count.
In addition, when used for a long time causes cataracts or glaucoma, especially in children, it increases the risk of eye infections due to fungi or viruses, as well as can cause emotional disturbances, psychosis and emotional instability. See more side effects of steroids.
Because prednisone favors fluid retention, it is normal for the person to become more swollen and seemingly to have gained weight.
Who should not use
Prednisone is contraindicated during pregnancy, breastfeeding, systemic fungal infection, in case of allergy to any of the components of the formula.
During treatment with this remedy it is not recommended to take any vaccine, especially the smallpox vaccine. Vaccination can only be done in people who are taking prednisone due to Addison's disease, which is when the adrenal glands do not produce a corticosteroid.
