ADAP drugs: prednisone

prednisone
(Deltasone, Liquid Pred, Metocorten,
Orasone, Panasol, Prednicen-M, Sterapred)

Drug description

A short-term course of prednisone is used to treat symptomatic myopathy. Myopathy means muscle disease, and can result in progressive weakness, particularly in the legs. Prednisone suppresses muscle inflammation and the normal immune response.

Side effects
Long-term use of prednisone can lead to adrenal suppression. Side effects of treatment with prednisone can be depression, euphoria, hypertension, nausea, anorexia, high blood sugar levels, and increased susceptibility to infection. Prednisone must be used cautiously in HIV+ people because the drug is immunosuppressive and can increase the risk of getting opportunistic infections.

Dosage
Prednisone comes in solution, syrup and tablet form. Maintenance doses may be given once daily or every other day. Adults take 2.5-15 mg 2-4 times daily. Children take .14-2 mg/kg/day in 4 divided doses.

How long it may take to work
Effectiveness of treatment can be seen in suppression of the inflammatory and immune responses in autoimmune disorders, allergic reactions and organ transplants. Treatment should not be stopped without medical supervision and if you’ve been on it for a period of a year, you may need supplementation at times of high stress such as surgery or serious illness until your adrenal glands recover their function.

Managing side effects
Use of other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, alcohol or aspirin increases risk of adverse GI effects. Take with meals to minimize gastric irritation. Best taken in morning to coincide with the body’s normal secretion of cortisol. If you are on long-term therapy, eat a diet high in protein, calcium, potassium, low in sodium and moderate in carbohydrates. Monitor your blood sugar levels daily. Avoid people with known contagious illnesses and report possible infections to your doctor. Tell your doctor if you have severe abdominal pain or black stools, and also report any unusual swelling, weight gain, tiredness, bone pain, bruising, non-healing sores, visual disturbances, or behavior changes.

This information is specific to the use of this medication for HIV-related conditions. For additional information about this drug for other conditions, refer to: www.nursespdr.com/ and www.healthanswers.com/Library/library_fset.asp

The drug descriptions on these pages are intended for informational purposes only. The Network does not promote or endorse the use of any specific treatment for any health-related condition. The medications described here can only be dispensed by a licensed health care professional. The information may have changed since these pages were updated, though every effort is made to keep these pages current. Please contact The Network at (800) 734-7104 to make sure you have the most up-to-date information

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