What is Dexadic?
Dexamethasone is a drug from the family of corticosteroids (corticosteroids) that is used orally and by injection.
Corticosteroids are naturally produced in the body to help maintain good health. Taking corticosteroids as a medicine in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases helps the body to better overcome these conditions and eliminate the symptoms of disease and inflammation.
Oral steroids are used to treat a wide range of ailments. For example, it is used in inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s and irritable bowel syndrome), autoimmune diseases (such as lupus), joint and muscle diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis), and allergies. Dexamethasone is also used to treat some cancers and in people receiving palliative care. It is also prescribed for children with some respiratory problems. In addition to therapeutic use, dexamethasone also has diagnostic uses in some cases. For example, dexamethasone is used to diagnose Cushing’s disease (a type of adrenal disorder).
Before you start taking
Be sure to tell your doctor if you have a history of heart attack or any cardiovascular disorders or liver or kidney failure.
Tell your doctor if you have a family history of diabetes or glaucoma.
Tell your doctor if you have any mental disorders.
Tell your doctor if you have thyroid disorders, osteoporosis, epilepsy and muscle disorders (such as myasthenia gravis), stomach ulcers and intestinal diseases.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or planning to become pregnant. Some oral steroids, such as dexamethasone, can be prescribed during breastfeeding. However, it is best for the doctor to evaluate the condition of the mother and baby to take the medication.
Be sure to tell your doctor if you have a specific infection at the time you start treatment with this medicine.
Tell your doctor if you have a history of coagulation disease and blood clots in your arteries.
Tell your doctor the history of any vaccinations in the last few months.
Provide a complete list of all your medicines, supplements and herbal products to your doctor or pharmacist.
Tell your doctor if you have a history of allergies to dexamethasone or other steroid medications (such as betamethasone, prednisolone, methylprednisolone, triamcinolone, fludrocortisone, etc.) or if you have severe muscle pain after taking these medications.
The correct way to consume
Depending on the reason for the medication and the patient’s condition, the medication may be given as a single dose or for a longer course of treatment.
If the medicine is prescribed as a single dose, your doctor will tell you when to take it. If dexamethasone is prescribed for a longer course of treatment, it is usually taken once a day after breakfast. However, in some cases, such as the diagnosis of Cushing’s syndrome and adrenal disorders, it is recommended to take this drug at night before going to bed.
Take oral dexamethasone with a light meal and a glass of water.
If you miss a dose, take it with a light meal as soon as you remember. If you forget to take the medicine for a whole day, avoid taking the missed dose and take the next dose according to the previous routine and avoid doubling the dose of the drug in one dose.
Continue to take this medicine until your doctor prescribes it for you. If you have been taking dexamethasone for more than three weeks, abrupt discontinuation of the drug can have serious side effects. Therefore, it is necessary to stop taking this drug gradually and under the supervision of a doctor.
recommendations
If the duration of your treatment with this drug is more than three weeks, it is recommended to prepare a card in which to use this drug along with the amount and duration of use and the type of disease and write this card in your personal belongings. Always have with you. This will help you take better action in the event of an accident.
If you are going to undergo surgery, dental procedures or special clinical tests, be sure to inform your doctor about the use of this drug so that if necessary, necessary changes can be made in the amount of drug used.
During treatment with this drug, it is necessary to be monitored and see a doctor regularly and periodically to evaluate your treatment and recovery process and to perform the necessary tests and examinations and to avoid unwanted side effects of the drug if it occurs. , To manage.
Dexamethasone weakens your immune system, so if you feel the symptoms of any disease (even the symptoms of a cold), you need to see a doctor. Also, to prevent infectious diseases, during this period, observe more personal hygiene and avoid close contact with sick people as much as possible.
The use of some vaccines during treatment with dexamethasone is inappropriate. Therefore, if you need any vaccinations, inform your doctor or official about taking steroid medications, including dexamethasone.
Before buying any medicine, inform the pharmacist about taking dexamethasone to make sure that the new medicine is taken at the same time as this medicine.
Do not take this drug without a doctor’s prescription and to improve the symptoms of infections and colds separately. Although the use of this drug is life-saving and necessary in some cases, but excessive or unnecessary use of it has many side effects to the extent that it can temporarily eliminate the symptoms of the underlying disease and cause the disease to progress silently. And hide the fact that this has many consequences.
Adverse drug reactions
Although taking this drug when necessary is very useful and even life-giving, but due to the effect it has on the immune system, it can also have unwanted side effects. Medication is more than its side effects, and if the patient is under the supervision of a doctor, drug side effects can be managed in a timely manner.
Gastrointestinal side effects such as abdominal pain, indigestion and nausea may occur with this medication. Taking the drug with or after a light meal and avoiding high-fat and spicy foods can prevent them from occurring. Be sure to see your doctor if you have vomiting or bloody stools.
Muscle weakness or tiredness, especially in long-term use, are common side effects of steroids. Therefore, do not drive or work with dangerous tools until the effects of the drug are felt.
Be sure to see your doctor if you change your mood (especially at the beginning of dexamethasone treatment) and if you feel dizzy or irritable and anxious.
Consult your doctor if you experience sleep disorders, headaches, weight gain and menstrual disorders.
Dexamethasone makes the body more susceptible to infection. For this reason, it is necessary to pay more attention to personal hygiene and see a doctor in case of symptoms of infection (sore throat, fever, etc.).
Long-term use of corticosteroids can have more side effects, so it is necessary for the patient to be under the supervision of a doctor during treatment and the necessary tests to control the side effects should be performed regularly by a doctor.
Long-term use of dexamethasone affects bone strength, so measuring bone density in patients is very important, and in case of osteoporosis, it is necessary to start the necessary treatments and the patient should be more careful in physical activity and sports.
Side effects of Dexamethasone
Cardiovascular: bradycardia, cardiac arrhythmia, heart failure, enlargement of the heart, shock, edema, embolism (fat), hypertension, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (premature infant), myocardial rupture (after myocardial infarction), syncope, tachycardia, thromboembolism Thrombophlebitis, vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels)
Central nervous system: depression, unstable emotions, euphoria, headache, increased intracranial pressure, insomnia, boredom, muscle weakness, neuronal inflammation, neuropathy, limb drowsiness, personality disorder, pseudo-brain tumor, mental disorder, seizure, dizziness
Skin: Acne vulgaris, allergic dermatitis, hair loss, atrophic striae, increased sweating, bruising, redness, redness of the skin, fragility of the skin, hyperpigmentation, hypertrichosis (hair loss), hypopigmentation, irritation of the skin around the anus (itching, burning, burning) Following intravenous injection), petechiae, skin atrophy, skin rash, submucosal atrophy, suppression of skin test reaction, urticaria, dry skin
Endocrinology and Metabolism: Adrenal suppression, carbohydrate intolerance, Cushing’s syndrome, decreased glucose tolerance, decreased serum potassium, diabetes mellitus, water retention, urinary glucose production, growth inhibition (children), hirsutism (hair growth), axial suppression Hypothalamus Adrenal pituitary, hyperglycemia, hypokalemic alkalosis, menstrual disorders, moon-shaped face, negative nitrogen balance, protein catabolism, changes in body fat mass distribution (BFR), sodium retention, weight gain
Gastrointestinal: bloating, gastrointestinal bleeding, gastrointestinal perforation, hiccups, increased appetite, nausea, pancreatitis, peptic ulcer, anal pruritus, ulcers and esophagitis
Genitourinary: Incomplete spermatogenesis (decrease or increase)
Hematology and oncology: Kaposi’s sarcoma, petechiae, tumor lysis syndrome
Liver: Enlargement of the liver, increased serum levels of transaminases
Hypersensitivity: Anaphylactic-like reaction, Anaphylaxis, Angioedema, Hypersensitivity
Infectious: Infection, non-infectious abscess
Topical: recurrence after injection
Neuromuscular and skeletal: amyotrophy, non-infectious bone necrosis (femoral head and arm bone), bone fracture, Charcot-like arthropathy, muscle weakness, myopathy (especially if used concomitantly with neuromuscular blocking drugs or neuromuscular disease), Osteoporosis, tendon rupture, steroid myopathy, vertebral compression fracture
Ocular: Exophthalmos, Glaucoma, Intraocular pressure, Cataract under posterior capsule
Respiratory: pulmonary edema
Miscellaneous: Impairment of wound healing
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