Everything about Prednisone totally explained
| PubChem=5865
| smiles = OCC(=O)C1(O)CCC2C3CCC4=CC(=O)C=CC4(C)C3C(=O)CC12C
| DrugBank=APRD00340
| IUPAC_name = 17-hydroxy-17-(2-hydroxyacetyl)-10,13-dimethyl- 7,8,9,10,12,13,14,15,16,17-decahydro-6H- cyclopenta[a]phenanthrene-3,11-dione
| C=21 | H=26 | O=5
| molecular_weight = 358.428 g/mol
| bioavailability = 70%
| metabolism = prednisolone (
liver)
| elimination_half-life = 1 hour
| excretion = Renal
| pregnancy_category = C
| legal_status = Prescription only
| routes_of_administration = Oral, Nasal, Rectal, Injection,
IV
}}
Prednisone is a synthetic
corticosteroid drug that's usually taken orally but can be delivered by
intramuscular injection and can be used for a great number of different conditions. It has a mainly
glucocorticoid effect. Prednisone is a
prodrug that's converted by the
liver into
prednisolone, which is the active drug and also a
steroid.
Uses
Prednisone is particularly effective as an
immunosuppressant, and affects virtually all of the immune system. It can, therefore, be used in
autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases (such as severe
asthma, severe
allergies, severe
poison ivy dermatitis,
systemic lupus erythematosus,
ulcerative colitis,
rheumatoid arthritis,
Bell's Palsy,
Crohn's disease,
pemphigus and
sarcoidosis), various kidney diseases including
nephrotic syndrome, and to prevent and treat
rejection in
organ transplantation. This medicine may also reduce the sex drive. Prednisone has also been used in the treatment of migraine headaches and
cluster headaches.
Furthermore, the pharmaceutical industry uses prednisone tablets for the calibration of dissolution testing equipment according to the
United States Pharmacopeia (USP).
Intravenous application may be employed for cerebral inflammation, as in the period attacks caused by
multiple sclerosis.
History
Prednisone was invented in the early 1950s when Arthur Nobile at
Schering demonstrated that the side-effects of
cortisone, such as water retention, high blood pressure and muscle weakness, could be removed by oxidisation of the drug through exposure to microbes. The drug was introduced by Schering in the mid-1960s.
Dependency
Adrenal suppression occurs if prednisone is taken for longer than 7 days, a condition wherein the body is unable to synthesize natural corticosteroids and becomes dependent on the prednisone taken by the patient. For this reason, prednisone shouldn't be stopped abruptly if taken for longer than seven days; rather the dosage must be reduced slowly. This reduction may be over a few days if the course of prednisone was short, but may take weeks or months if the patient had been on long-term treatment. Abrupt withdrawal may lead to an
Addisonian crisis, which may be life-threatening. For those on chronic therapy, alternate-day dosing may preserve adrenal function, thereby reducing side-effects (see
"Dosing Considerations"
).
Side-effects
Short-term side-effects, as with all glucocorticoids, include high blood
glucose levels, especially in patients that already have
diabetes mellitus or are on other medications that increase blood glucose (such as
tacrolimus), and
mineralocorticoid effects such as fluid retention (although it's worth noting, however, that the mineralocorticoid effects of prednisone are very minor; this is why it isn't used in the management of adrenal insufficiency unless a more potent mineralocorticoid is administered concomitantly). Additional short-term side-effects include
insomnia,
euphoria, and, rarely,
mania. Long-term side-effects include
Cushing's syndrome, weight gain,
osteoporosis,
glaucoma, type II
diabetes mellitus, and
depression upon withdrawal.
Major
Minor
stretch marks
nervousness
acne
rash
increased appetite
hyperactivity
frequent urination
diarrhea
removes intestinal floraFurther Information
Get more info on 'Prednisone'.
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