Corticosteroids (systemic glucocorticoids)
- Powerful broad anti-inflammatory drugs
- Asthma/COPD, autoimmune disease, edema, cancer
- Short courses: glucose, mood, sleep effects
- Chronic use: weight, diabetes, osteoporosis
- Infection + adrenal suppression with duration
- Use lowest effective dose/shortest duration
- Taper when HPA suppression is plausible
Class at a glance
- Powerful broad anti-inflammatory drugs
Clinical role
- Asthma/COPD, autoimmune disease, edema, cancer
Other clinical roles
- Short courses: glucose, mood, sleep effects
- Use lowest effective dose/shortest duration
Clinical distinctions
- Chronic use: weight, diabetes, osteoporosis
- Infection + adrenal suppression with duration
- Taper when HPA suppression is plausible
Self-check
- What dosing principle guides systemic glucocorticoid use?
Lowest effective dose for the shortest duration. - When should systemic corticosteroids be tapered?
When HPA suppression is plausible.
Drugs in this class (5)
Corticosteroids (systemic glucocorticoids) prescription history
Animated chart of estimated U.S. prescriptions per year, Corticosteroids (systemic) (1950–2026).
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