Dexamethasone side effects

The most widely used drugs in clinical practice are anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory drugs. Among the many such drugs, dexamethasone is a more commonly used drug with relatively fewer side effects. Especially for some inflammations with rapid onset, the therapeutic effect of dexamethasone is very good, so it has been widely used in clinical practice. However, the side effects of dexamethasone still exist.

Therefore, many patients are worried that the side effects of dexamethasone will cause more serious harm to their bodies when using it. So, is such worry necessary? How serious are the side effects of dexamethasone and what harm will it bring to the human body?

Dexamethasone and other glucocorticoids have no obvious adverse reactions when used in physiological doses for replacement therapy. Adverse reactions mostly occur when pharmacological doses are used, and are closely related to the course of treatment, dosage, type of medication, usage and route of administration. Common adverse reactions include the following:

1. Long-term use may cause the following side effects: iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome facial and body shape, weight gain, lower limb edema, purple lines, bleeding tendency, poor wound healing, acne, menstrual disorders, avascular necrosis of the humeral or femoral head, osteoporosis and fractures (including vertebral compression fractures, pathological fractures of long bones), muscle weakness, muscular atrophy, hypokalemia syndrome, gastrointestinal irritation (nausea, vomiting), pancreatitis, peptic ulcer or perforation, growth inhibition in children, glaucoma, cataracts, benign intracranial hypertension syndrome, impaired glucose tolerance and aggravation of diabetes.

2. Patients may experience psychiatric symptoms: euphoria, agitation, delirium, restlessness, disorientation, and may also manifest as inhibition. Mental symptoms are prone to occur in people with chronic wasting diseases and those who have had mental disorders in the past.

3. Concurrent infection is the main adverse reaction of adrenal cortical hormones. The main pathogens are fungi, tuberculosis, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and various herpes viruses.

4. Glucocorticoid withdrawal syndrome. Sometimes patients experience dizziness, tendency to faint, abdominal or back pain, low fever, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, muscle or joint pain, headache, fatigue, and weakness after stopping the medication. If careful examination can rule out adrenal cortex insufficiency and recurrence of the original disease, it can be considered as a glucocorticoid dependence syndrome.

After understanding the side effects of dexamethasone, you can choose whether to continue using the drug based on your disease. However, for many diseases, the treatment effect of dexamethasone is the best. Patients only need to control the dosage to avoid the harm of dexamethasone's side effects. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not be too averse to dexamethasone.