Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid that is used to treat different heath conditions such as skin diseases, allergic disorder, asthma, brain swelling, rheumatic arthritis and problems.
This drug comes in different trade names such as Decadron, Dexasone, Diodex, Hexadrol, Maxidex, DexPak, Zema-Pak, etc.. It decreases the defensive response of your system and reduces symptoms. It can be administered 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 delivery through the vein with the aid of injections or as drips. This mode of administration is regarded as the fastest as it goes directly to the bloodstream.
Intramuscular treatment: Otherwise known and abbreviated as IM. This drug delivery system is done by the aid of injection to the muscle.
Subcutaneous Injection Therapy: is one of the many system of drug administration. It is abbreviated as SC and can be used to administration dexamethasone through the subcutaneous layer of the skin.
Oral Administration: This entails 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 comprises 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 with a brand name AURIZON as a remedy for acute earing infections especially in puppies.
Dexamethasone combined with dichlormethiazide can be used in the treatment of general bruising and swelling 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 treating CROUP in children. Dexamethasone given in a high dose serves as a counteract to allergic anaphylactic shock, Dexamethasone intravitreal steroid implant has been approved 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 like the elimination of the wisdom tooth. Dexamethasone may also be treated before antibiotics in the event of bacterial meningitis to reduce inflammatory response to the killed bacterias.
Cancer:
In brain tumors, dexamethasone can be used to suppress the development of edema which can compress other brain structures if not attended to, dexamethasone can be utilised as an immediate 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 helping in the maturation of the fetus' lungs.
Nausea and vomiting
Individuals who've had surgery experience nausea and vomiting. Administration of dexamethasone intravenously is effective for preventing nausea and vomiting from recurring.
SIDE EFFECTS/CONS
Dexamethasone, like every other drugs has side effects they give. The Normal 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 when 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 do not 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 medication may mask signs of infection or put you at greater risk of developing very serious ailments. Report any injuries or signs of infection (e.g., persistent sore throat/fever/cough, pain during urination, muscle aches) that occur during treatment.
This medication may slow down a child's development if used for quite a while. Consult the doctor or pharmacist for more details. See the physician regularly so your child's height and growth could be checked.
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 doesn't pose any life-threatening issues. Long term use of high does can 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 good safe to use some specific drugs in exactly the same time since they pose a great deal 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
Medication to treat dementia or Parkinson disease
CONCLUSION
The activity of the world health organization in tagging dexamethasone as an important drug in the health care field has revealed dexamethasone to be of relevance to the health of man and studies showing that excess dexamethasone can induce hypertension through various mechanisms demonstrate that where there is great, there's also bad. Moderation is the key to ensuring that more good than bad is what's gotten from this drug. Following the doctor's prescription strictly rather than self-medicating will also help to make dexamethasone us be of more good than bad.
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