What Does Dexamethasone Do?
DexamethasoneDexamethasone is a corticosteroid that is used to treat different heath conditions such as skin diseases, allergic disorder, asthma, brain swelling, rheumatic problems and arthritis.
This drug comes in different trade names like Decadron, Dexasone, Diodex, Hexadrol, Maxidex, DexPak, Zema-Pak, etc.. It reduces the defensive reaction of the body and reduces symptoms. It can be treated with antibiotics to treat tuberculosis.
Dexamethasone is administered to the body system through the following means:
Intravenous Therapy: When the medicine in liquid form, it's administered to the body by shipping through the vein with the aid of injections or as drips. This mode of administration is known to be the fastest since it goes straight to the bloodstream.
Intramuscular treatment: Otherwise known and abbreviated as IM. This drug delivery system is carried out by the aid of injection to the muscle.
Subcutaneous Injection Therapy: is one of the many system of drug administration. It's called SC and is used to administration dexamethasone during the subcutaneous layer of the skin.
Oral Administration: This involves administering dexamethasone through the mouth.
INGREDIENTS
Dexamethasone Tablets USP usually contain either 0.5 mg, 0.75 mg, 1.5 mg, 2 mg, 4 mg, or 6 mg of dexamethasone USP. Each tablet also contain some inactive ingredients such as magnesium stearate, lactose, monohydrate, sugar, starch, FD&C Red, FD&C Yellow, Yellow Iron Oxide, D&C Yellow, and FD&C Blue.
Dexamethasone Oral Solution USP is formulated for oral administration contains 05.5 mg per 5 ml of dexamethasone USP. This oral solution contains some inactive ingredients such as propylene glycol, sorbitol solution, propylparaben, anhydrous citric acid, glycerin, disodium edetate and water.
USES OF DEXAMETHASONE/PROS
Dexamethasone has various uses in anti-inflammatory diseases, cancer, endocrine treatment, pregnancy, higher altitude illnesses, nausea and vomiting, sore throat, and veterinary applications.
Veterinary Uses:
Dexamethasone is combined with clotrimazole and marbofloxacin using a fresh name AURIZON as a remedy for severe earing infections especially in dogs.
Dexamethasone combined with dichlormethiazide may be used in the treatment of general swelling and bruising distal limbs in horses.
Anti-inflammatory diseases:
A single dose of dexamethasone in children reduces the swelling of the airway which in turns improves breathing and reduced discomfort. To put it differently, can be used for the treatment of CROUP in children. Dexamethasone given in a high dose serves as a counteract to allergic anaphylactic shock, Dexamethasone intravitreal steroid implant has been accepted by the Federal dental agency for the treatment of ocular conditions like diabetic macular edema, central retinal vein occlusion, and uveitis, dexamethasone is present in ear drops, eye drops particularly after eye surgery and present in nasal sprays. Dexamethasone is used to treat inflammatory and autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Dexamethasone is given before and or after dental surgeries such as the removal of the wisdom tooth. Dexamethasone can also be administered before antibiotics in case of bacterial meningitis to reduce inflammatory response to the murdered bacterias.
Cancer:
In brain tumors, dexamethasone can be used to suppress the progression of edema that may compress other brain structures if not attended to, dexamethasone can be utilised as a direct chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of multiple myeloma.
Pregnancy:
Pregnancy complications may occur like premature delivery, but with the use of dexamethasone, it helps correct premature delivery by aiding in the maturation of the fetus' lungs.
Nausea and vomiting
People who have had surgery experience nausea and vomiting. Administration of dexamethasone intravenously is effective for the prevention of nausea and vomiting from recurring.
SIDE EFFECTS/CONS
Dexamethasone, like every other medication has side effects they give. The regular side effects from the ingestion of dexamethasone includes
Dizziness
Stomach upset
Sore throat
Headaches
Trouble in sleeping
Increase in appetite
Weight gain
Acne
But if the below listed serious side effects take place, contact your doctor as soon as you notice
Increased thirst and urination
Signs of infection like fever
Slow, fast or irregular heartbeat
Black stool,
Heartburns
Bone pain
Abdominal pain
Mental changes
Bleeding
Seizures
Precautions
If you have a fungal infection or allergic to this medication, please don't take it. Before taking dexamethasone, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have:
Malaria
Thyroid disorder
Liver disease
Glaucoma or cataracts
Tuberculosis
Osteoporosis
Mental illness
Depression
Liver disease
Heart failure
High blood pressure
Herpes infection of the eyes
Diabetes
This medicine may mask signs of infection or put you at greater risk of developing very serious infections. Report any injuries or signs of infection (e.g., persistent sore throat/fever/cough, pain during urination, muscle aches) that occur during treatment.
This medicine may slow down a child's development if used for quite a while. Consult the doctor or pharmacist for additional information. See the doctor regularly so your child's height and growth could be assessed.
This drug may pass into breast milk and may have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Consult your doctor before breast- feeding.
OVERDOSE
An overdose of this medication does not pose any life-threatening issues. Long term use of high does may lead to thinning skin, increased acne or facial hair, loss of interest in sex, menstrual problems and impotence.
DRUGS THAT AFFECT DEXAMETHASONE
It's not a fantastic safe to use some specific drugs at exactly the same time because they pose a lot of risks. Ensure you tell your doctor about all the drugs you are using before taking dexamethasone for example;
Insulin or diabetes medications
Birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy
Blood thinner -- Coumadin, Jantoven
Antibiotic or antifungal medicine
Medicine to treat dementia or Parkinson disease
CONCLUSION
The activity of the world health organization in labeling dexamethasone as an important drug in the medical field has shown dexamethasone to be of relevance to the health of man and research showing that surplus dexamethasone can cause hypertension through various mechanisms show that where there is great, there is also bad. Moderation is the key to ensuring that more good than bad is what's gotten from this medication. Following the physician's prescription strictly and not self-medicating will also help to make dexamethasone us be of more good than bad.