Bone side effects Description: skeletal complications upon being treated with corticosteroids therapy are generally of two main types: Ostéoporose Osteoporosis (= fragile bones). At later stages, osteoporosis increases the risk of fractures, including those of the vertebrae and the femur. Fractures of the vertebrae can occur after trauma or simply spontaneously [...]
Muscles and tendons Description: corticosteroids weaken muscles and tendons. Myopathy can affect patients in the form of muscle weakness and can become troublesome in everyday life (climbing stairs, lifting). Usually, there is no muscle pain. Cortisone can also weaken the tendons but symptoms are usually non-existent and cases of tendon rupture are rare. [...]
Infections Description: steroids weaken the immune system. Due to this, they can cure a wide range of diseases. However, this means that the patient has a greater risk of being infected. In general, all types of infections (bacterial, viral, parasitic, fungal) are more frequently observed in patients treated with corticosteroids. Infections can reach [...]
Ophtalmologic side effects Description: corticosteroids increase the risk of glaucoma (increased eye pressure) and cataract. These side effects may be asymptomatic or cause symptoms such as a decrease in visual acuity, pain in the eye and sensitivity to light. Frequency: complications of the eye are difficult to estimate. They depend on the duration [...]
Heart and vessels Description: hypertension caused by cortisone is usually mild and isn't accompanied by symptoms. Your physician can make a diagnosis after the measuring your blood pressure during checkups and treatment. Furthermore, patients undergoing long-term treatment with corticosteroids have an increased risk of cardiovascular problems. Frequency: hypertension is diagnoses in approximately 10% [...]
Gut side effects Description: corticosteroids can cause some gastrointestinal symptoms such as pain/cramps in the stomach and/or acid reflux. These symptoms are mild and can be treated relatively easily by your doctor. The risk of a more serious complication (e.g. peptic ulcer, pancreatic inflammation, colon infection) is much lower. Frequency: about 10% of [...]
Sex-related side effects Description: for women undergoing treatment with cortisone, some changes in the menstrual cycle may be experienced. Menstruations can be longer or shorter than usual. Men have reported on occasion that they had decreased libido and/or erectile dysfunction during corticosteroid therapy. Frequency: the frequency of the sexual side effects caused by [...]
How does it work? Oral corticosteroids are well absorbed by the body after ingestion (80%) and rapidly enter the blood stream (peak blood level is reached 1-2 hours after the dose is taken) Prednisone must be converted into prenisolone by the body in order to function. However, doctors often prescribe prednisone instead of [...]
Who is treated? A study completed in the UK shows that at any moment approximately 1% of the general population is treated with oral corticosteroids through either oral, intravenous or intramuscular administration. This figure does not take into account those patients that have received corticosteroids by other routes of ingestion (e.g. inhalation or [...]
For what conditions? Many diseases are treated with corticosteroids. It would be difficult to include all of them on a single list. For example, when prednisoneentered the market, it concerned the treatment of over a hundred diseases. A study in the UK revealed that the main conditions frequently requiering long term (i.e. > [...]