Beware of Excessive Use of Corticosteroid Drugs
Corticosteroids are a class of drugs that are very often used, function as anti-inflammatory and are often referred to as “divine medicine” because of their ability to treat various symptoms of disease. Some of the names of corticosteroids that we often find are prednisone, methylprednisolone, dexamethasone, hydrocortisone, betamethasone, triamcinolone and others. Although proven effective in relieving many complaints such as swollen skin, itching, redness, flu, aches and allergies, excessive use of corticosteroids can actually cause side effects that are not good for health.
What are corticosteroids?
Corticosteroids are a group of hormones produced by the human body through the adrenal glands which are located above the kidneys. This hormone functions in regulating carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism, body fluid regulation, the body’s defense system, and bone formation.
What do corticosteroid drugs do?
Corticosteroids are used for impaired hormone production by the adrenal glands which results in the body being deficient in steroid hormones. Other conditions that are often treated with corticosteroids include allergic diseases such as asthma, allergic conjunctivitis and other urticaria, autoimmune diseases, systemic inflammation, transplants, brain swelling, and many more.
What are the side effects of corticosteroid drugs?
The use of corticosteroids in patients should be considered, because of the wide range of side effects. The emergence of side effects is influenced by many things, use for more than 2 weeks can cause serious side effects. High-dose potency corticosteroids are more likely to cause side effects. The side effects that arise depend on how it is used, because systemic use generally causes bigger side effects.
Systemic corticosteroids
Systemic corticosteroid preparations are usually in the form of tablets or injection into a vein. The side effects that can arise are:
- Hypertension
- Increased blood sugar, diabetes
- Gastric ulcer
- Gastrointestinal bleeding
- Long and abnormal wound healing
- Lack of potassium
- Osteoporosis
- Easy to get infected
- Emotional disturbances
- Insomnia
- Increase in appetite
- Glaucoma
- Weakened muscles
- Thinning of the skin
Local corticosteroids
Local corticosteroid preparations can vary, including injection, inhalation, and ointments.
Corticosteroid injection side effects
- Pain and swelling in the muscles or joints being injected
- Weakness of muscles and tendons
- Infection
- Thinning of the skin
Side effects of inhaled corticosteroids
- Thrush in the mouth or throat
- Light nosebleeds
- Hoarseness or difficulty speaking
- Cough
- Fungus in the oral cavity
- Increased risk of pneumonia infection in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Side effects of corticosteroid ointments
- Thinning of the skin
- Skin color becomes paler
- Increased risk of skin infections
- Inhibits wound healing
In more severe cases, the use of high doses of corticosteroids can cause Cushing’s syndrome, which is characterized by:
- Obesity
- Hypertension
- Tiring easily
- Abdominal striae, purple streak on the abdomen
- Swelling
- Accumulation of fat on the face (moon face) and in the belt (buffalo hump)
- Hirsutism, unusual hair growth in women
- Menstrual disorders in women
How are corticosteroids safe?
Because of the various side effects above, the use of corticosteroids must be in accordance with the doctor’s instructions, both how many doses, how many times to drink in a day, and how many days to drink. People are not advised to consume or increase the dose of this drug without a doctor’s instructions. To reduce the side effects of corticosteroids, patients can follow these tips:
- Do not take corticosteroids on an empty stomach, to reduce side effects on the digestive system
- Use spacer on inhaled corticosteroids, to reduce the risk of developing fungal infections in the oral cavity
- Do the injection in a different place, a maximum of corticosteroid injections in the same place, which is three times
- In areas of thin skin or folds, use steroids with weak potency
- Be careful with use around the eyes, because it can cause glaucoma or cataracts
Do not stop medication suddenly. On long-term use, doctors usually do “tappering off“When going to stop treatment, that is by reducing the dose of the drug slowly and then stopped. Sudden discontinuation of corticosteroids can cause Addison’s syndrome.
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