Everything You Need To Know About Prednisolone
Prednisolone is a corticosteroid that exerts an anti-inflammatory effect that works quickly.
Prednisolone, as we have said, is a corticosteroid, and corticosteroids are hormones that our body produces in various glands, such as the pancreas, thyroid gland, testicles, ovaries and adrenal glands. It is in the adrenal glands that corticosteroids are produced.
What do doctors prescribe prednisolone for?
Prednisolone is widely used in pediatric treatments. Most often, doctors prescribe it for the following health problems:
- Bronchitis or asthmatic crisis
- Laryngitis
- Atopic dermatitis: When the outbreaks are moderate to severe
- Allergic conditions
The duration of treatment with this drug varies depending on the severity of the disease and depends on each case. Whatever the reason, it is best to use prednisolone for the shortest possible time to achieve the desired result.
It is important to remember that this drug takes about 4 hours before it takes effect, so you wait at least 8 hours between one dose and the next. By doing so, it is possible to reach the half-life of prednisolone in the blood which gives the desired effect.
How is prednisolone taken?
Although doctors prescribe treatment with corticosteroids according to each patient, the maximum daily dose is 40 milligrams per day.
The treatment usually involves two doses a day, every 12 hours, and you can mix them with milk or juice to make them easier to take.
What are the side effects of prednisolone?
When patients take prednisolone for less than 10 days, the risk of side effects is low. In general, the most common side effects are increased appetite and restlessness.
Although there are hardly any side effects when the treatment is short, such as in bronchitis, laryngitis or atopic dermatitis, the treatments must be longer the medicine is taken longer. This is because the side effects that may occur may be more significant.
These side effects include the following:
- Increase in blood sugar levels
- Fluid retention
- Stretch marks or pimples
- Scarring
When should you not take prednisolone?
Experts warn against taking this medicine if you are allergic to prednisolone. The same applies if you suffer from a viral disease, as prednisolone can worsen the symptoms.
When you need to vaccinate your child, it is best that they do not undergo prednisolone treatment two months before receiving the vaccine. If for any reason the vaccination is at the same time as the prednisolone treatment, you should contact your pediatrician.
In addition, in the case of vaccines and corticosteroids, it is important to take into account that at least 2 weeks should elapse between the date of vaccination and the start of treatment with these drugs.
How to stop taking prednisolone?
Since it is a corticosteroid, you should never stop taking it abruptly, especially if you have used it for long periods. Among the reasons why treatment should not stop abruptly are possible sudden drops in glucose levels and blood pressure.
Sudden discontinuation of this medication can also affect the production of the adrenal glands, as taking the corticosteroid orally competes with the hormones that the body produces.
At the same time, when treatment stops abruptly, the body suddenly suffers from corticosteroids, which can change all vital signs. For this reason, you need to reduce the doses gradually and give your body time to gradually adapt to the hormonal changes.
Short use of corticosteroids
Prednisolone is a corticosteroid that should be used in short treatments. In this way, it does not cause any serious side effects. Completing the treatment as prescribed and following the doses recommended by a doctor is the best guarantee of good health.
