Prednisone is a synthetically produced corticosteroid drug, given orally or by an intra muscular injection. It is used as a medicine in different cases to control or prevent complications. It acts like a glucocorticoid and is converted into prednisolone by action of certain enzymes in liver. Prednisolone is a steroid and is the active form of drug.
Prednisone is used as immunosuppressant and affects the whole immune system. It is used as medicine for autoimmune diseases, hypersensitivity, allergic reactions and inflammatory diseases like asthma, poison ivy, Crohn’s disease and certain types of rheumatism. It is also used in various kidney diseases like nephritic syndrome and also in case of tissue or organ rejection in a body. These all are associated with immune mechanism of body, which can cause many complications. The drug is also used in calibrating dissolution testing instrument in pharmaceutical industries as recommended by United Stated Pharmacopoeia (USP). Prednisone was developed as a result of some finding by Arthur Nobile at Schering, revealed that the hormone cortisone had some side effects like elevating blood pressure, water retention and weakening the muscle. Cortisone has been using as drug for immuno suppression till 1950.
Drug Dependency
Prolonged use of prednisone can create a dependency on drug which results in adrenal suppression. This is the condition in which adrenal will be unable to synthesize corticosteroids and depend completely on prednisone. Due to this reason, it is not allowed to stop using the drug abruptly even if the emergency is over. The dosage will be reduced step by step and within some days will be terminated. In case of long term users, it will take more than two weeks to stop the medicine. Withdrawing the drug abruptly can lead to Addisonian crisis, which is fatal.
Side effects of Prednisone
As like any type of steroid treatment methods, prednisone also possesses certain side effects. The glucocorticoid effect of prednisone can increase the blood glucose level, especially in diabetes mellitus patients and those who are undergoing medications that can increase glucose level in blood. The mineralocorticoid nature results in fluid retention. There are some side effects due to long term use of this medicine. They are weight gain, Cushing’s syndrome, diabetes mellitus type II, osteoporosis, glaucoma and depression. Cataract is another ocular side effect and is seen in some patients. Even though it is seen in patients taking the drug topically or intra-ocularly, it can also occur by intravenous or oral administration. |
