DEXAMETHASONE

                         DEXAMETHASONE

• Trade names: dexasone, diodex, hexadrol, maxidex.

• Other names: dexamethasone acetate, dexamethasone sodium phosphate.

     Indications:

• It is an anti-inflammatory medication. Used to relieve inflammation in various parts of our body. Reduces the swellings[oedema], associated with tumors of spine and brain, and in case of inflammation of eye.

• As treatment or prophylactic agent in allergic manifestations.

• To treat various autoimmune disease like skin disease, asthma and certain lung conditions. 

• Treatment for various cancers such as, leukaemia, multiple myeloma.

Skull CT of multiple myeloma: 

• Also used in the treatment of vomiting and nausea associated with chemotherapy drugs.

• Used to stimulate appetite in cancer patients with severe loss of appetite.

• In case of adrenal insufficiency, it is used in steroid replacement therapy [where there is marked reduction in the natural steroid].

Administered as : 

    1. Tablets.

    2. Taken as pills with food and/or after meals.

    3. Intravenous administration.

    4. As lotion for skin disorders.

    5. As eye drops to treat inflammatory

       conditions like conjunctivitis.

SIDE EFFECTS,

• Most of the people do not exhibit any side effects at all. 

• But the side effect is predictable in terms of onset and its duration.

• They are always reversible and will disappear after the treatment. 

Some of the common side effects are,

          1. Irritability.

          2. Increased appetite.

          3. Heartburn.

          4. Difficulty in speaking.

          5. Muscle weakness.

          6. Impaired wound healing.

These side effects occur in 30% of the people receiving this drug.

Precaution:

    1. Do not take aspirin or any other products containing aspirin unless the doctor prescribes it.

    2. Do not breast feed while taking this medication.

    3. Do not conceive a child while taking this medication. This is common for both men and women.

    4. We must not receive any kind of immunisation or vaccination while undergoing dexamethasone therapy unless advised by our doctor.

    5. If we are under this therapy for long time do not discontinue it immediately without the knowledge of the doctor as it would precipitate serious side effects.   

IN COVID-19,

 Since it is a corticosteroid with a wide range of anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant action in the body, it is found to reduce the mortality of covid-19 patient who are ventilator assisted. It reduced the mortality by one-third in patients put on ventilators and by one-fifth on patients who require oxygen.