What is dexamethasone? Terrible side effects of dexamethasone that can lead to…

Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid that protects the body against inflammation. In fact, this drug prevents the secretion of substances that cause inflammation in the body. Dexamethasone is used to treat many inflammatory diseases such as allergies and sensitivities and skin diseases such as lupus and psoriasis. Even in recent years, doctors have prescribed plenty of dexamethasone to help treat corona. We will explain the relationship of dexamethasone with calcium, corona, obesity, cough, toothache, cold, etc. in this article from the online pharmacy magazine Positive Green.

Uses of dexamethasone

Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid. A corticosteroid is similar to a natural hormone in the body that is secreted by the adrenal glands. When your body does not produce enough of this hormone, dexamethasone is often prescribed to replace it. The most important uses of Dexamethasone are:

• Relief of inflammation (pain, swelling, warmth and redness)
• Help treat skin disorders
• Improvement of blood disorders
• Treatment of kidney, eye, thyroid and intestinal problems such as colitis
• Severe allergies and asthma
• Certain types of cancer

• tip: Some people have a severe allergic reaction to dexamethasone. Symptoms of this reaction can be difficulty breathing, swelling of the throat and tongue. In this case, you must see a doctor.

How does Dexamethasone work?

As we explained, dexamethasone belongs to a class of drugs called steroids. These drugs are often used to treat similar conditions:

• To fight inflammation: Inflammation can cause the immune system to become overactive, causing damage to body tissues. Steroids such as dexamethasone block the body’s immune response to inflammation to reduce inflammation.
• For Adrenal Insufficiency: The adrenal gland is involved in many important functions of the body. These functions include managing blood sugar, defending the body against infection, and managing stress. In people with adrenal insufficiency, the adrenal gland secretes smaller amounts of certain hormones. Dexamethasone can act as a substitute for these hormones.

How to take dexamethasone

The dosage of dexamethasone and the frequency of use depend on the person’s age, health status, severity of the disease, and other medical problems that the person may have. Dexamethasone tablets are available in the market in doses of 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 4 and 6 mg. The usual dose for people over 18 years old is as follows:

0.75 to 9 mg depending on the condition and doctor’s opinion.

0.02-0.3 mg per kilogram of body weight in 3 to 4 doses.

• 65 years and older:

Older people’s kidneys and liver may not work as well as they used to. In this case, the medicine may be processed more slowly and therefore more medicine is needed, which of course increases the risk of side effects. Therefore, the dosage should be exactly according to the doctor’s opinion.

Side effects of dexamethasone

The most common side effects of dexamethasone are:

• Nausea, vomiting, stomach upset
• swelling
• Headache and dizziness
• Change in mood
• Difficulty falling asleep
• anxiety
• Low potassium levels (causes fatigue)
• Sugar and high blood pressure

Terrible side effects of dexamethasone

If the following side effects are observed, the emergency department should be contacted immediately and the person should be examined by a doctor:

• Unusual fatigue
• Severe and unusual dizziness
• Unusual gastrointestinal discomfort such as abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, blood in the stool, blood in the urine, unusual bleeding or bruising.

The above symptoms may be accompanied by fever, muscle pain, and joint pain.

Drug interactions of dexamethasone

The simultaneous use of some drugs is problematic and increases the risk of side effects. Also, some drugs may reduce or neutralize the effect of others. Therefore, it is very important to pay attention to drug interactions. Give your doctor a list of all your medications before injecting dexamethasone or taking its tablets. In particular, if you are using the following medications, be sure to inform your doctor:

• Antibiotics or antifungal drugs
• Birth control pills or hormone therapy drugs
• Insulin or diabetes medications
• Dementia or Parkinson’s drugs
• Blood thinners such as warfarin, Coumadin, or Johntoven.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, celecoxib, diclofenac, indomethacin, meloxicam, etc.

Do not limit yourself to the above list of drugs that interact with dexamethasone. You must consult your doctor about any type of medicine that you plan to use at the same time as Dexamethasone.

Necessary warnings about the use of dexamethasone

• You should avoid taking dexamethasone if you have a fungal infection anywhere on your body.
• Dexamethasone can weaken your immune system and make it easier for your body to get infections. Before taking this medicine, describe to the doctor any type of infection you have had in the past few weeks.
• If you are at risk of chicken pox or measles, tell your doctor before taking Dexamethasone. These diseases can be serious or even fatal in people who use steroid drugs.
• Injecting the (live) vaccine while you are taking steroids is not recommended at all.
• Do not stop taking dexamethasone suddenly because you may experience adverse effects.
• If you are suffering from these diseases, be sure to consult your doctor about taking this medicine: liver diseases, kidney diseases, thyroid disorders, tuberculosis, osteoporosis, diabetes, cataracts, stomach ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, mental diseases, heart failure and high blood pressure

You should never use dexamethasone in 2 cases: 1- Be allergic to this medicine. 2- Have a fungal infection in your body.

Dexamethasone for colds

Steroids (corticosteroids) help relieve symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections by reducing inflammation of the lining of the nose and throat. Therefore, they may be able to improve cold symptoms. For example, make a sore throat get better. For this reason, many doctors recommend injecting dexamethasone ampoule when you have a cold, flu or corona virus.

Dexamethasone and calcium absorption

In many articles, dexamethasone has been introduced as a killer of calcium in the body. Some sources say that Dexa injection prevents calcium absorption in the body for up to 6 months. Of course, there is a need for more research in this field. What is evident is that dexamethasone can reduce the absorption of vitamin D and calcium in the body. Repeated use of any type of corticosteroid in the long term can cause muscle and bone atrophy and lead to osteoporosis. The first step to treat diseases should not be prescribing Dexa ampoules.

Dexamethasone for corona

The result of a study showed that treatment of covid-19 with a dose of 6 mg once a day for a maximum of 10 days reduces mortality in patients with this disease. Dexamethasone is mostly used for patients who have respiratory problems when infected with Covid-19. By reducing inflammation in the body, this medicine can improve breathing and relieve symptoms such as sore throat.

Dexamethasone and obesity

Steroids like dexamethasone can cause weight gain in the long term. Therefore, weight gain and obesity can be counted among the side effects of this drug. Never use Dexa for a long time without consulting your doctor.

Dexamethasone and toothache

Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid that reduces swelling, pain, and inflammation after dental surgery. Dentists usually prescribe the injection of 1 ampoule of Dexa after surgery or denervation of the tooth. When the inflammation decreases, the intensity of the pain will certainly decrease.

last word

Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid that has been widely used in our country and there is always a lot of talk about its side effects. If you are allergic to this medicine, you should never go for it because it may even lead to death. This drug interacts with many drugs, including warfarin, Meloxicam And… there is interference that we explained in this article. To buy dexamethasone, you must visit the pharmacy in person with a doctor’s prescription.

Frequently asked questions about dexamethasone