1. Nursing Instruction
  2. Overview
  3. Allergy-Immunology-Rheumatology

Major Points

  1. Steroids are synthetic hormones that have anti-inflammatory and immune suppressive effects.
  2. Commonly used in the treatment of various immune diseases.
  3. Caution should be exercised when using this product if you have a history of diabetes, peptic ulcers, or pulmonary tuberculosis.
  4. Please follow the doctor's instructions to take the medicine on time and do not stop the medicine on your own.

 

1.What are steroids?

Steroids are artificial hormones ,it has the same function as hormones secreted by the human body. Appropriate use of steroids can treat inflammation and various immune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, polymyositis, nephrotic syndrome, vasculitis, asthma, allergic diseases, autoimmune diseases, blood disorders, organ transplantation, and adrenal insufficiency.

 

2. What should I pay attention to?

Those with a history of peptic ulcers, mental illness, severe diabetes, osteoporosis, glaucoma, or tuberculosis should inform their doctor before using this medication.

  1. Do not take steroid medications on an empty stomach; they can be taken with food or immediately after a meal. If using an inhaler, rinse your mouth after each use to reduce residual steroids in the mouth, which can cause white patches on the oral mucosa and lead to fungal infections.
  2. During medication, if patients experience abnormal weight gain, lower limbs edema, muscle weakness, irregular menstruation, tarry stools, vomiting, fever or infection, then they should seek medical attention immediately; if any surgery (including tooth extraction), infection, or injury is required, patients must proactively inform the physician.
  3. Systemic allergic reactions caused by steroids are relatively rare. If adverse reactions such as skin rash, difficulty breathing, generalized redness and swelling, contact dermatitis, or eczema that is difficult to heal occur after using the medication, you should immediately inform medical staff.
  4. If you experience abdominal pain, back pain, dizziness, vomiting, prolonged loss of appetite, muscle and joint pain, shortness of breath, rapid weight loss, frequent or persistent unexplained headaches, fatigue, or a relapse of illness after reducing the dosage or stopping the medication, you should seek medical attention immediately.
  5. If you stop taking the drug by yourself, there will be withdrawal syndrome, such as general malaise, muscle joint pain, mild fever, headache, diarrhea, lethargy and other symptoms. In severe cases, it will cause the body to be unable to function normally, and the autoimmune system can't be controlled, resulting in disease recurrence or even death. Therefore, you must take the medicine on time according to the doctor's advice, and don't stop or reduce the medicine by yourself, so as to effectively achieve disease control.
  6. If you forget to take the medicine, please make up the dosage according to the time of taking the medicine
    1. Daily single-dose: Make it up as soon as possible. If patients take the medicine, on next day, they should not take the medicine they forgot yesterday. Patients should not take twice the medicine at any one time.
    2. Multiple dose per day: Make it up as soon as possible. If patients do not remember to take the medicine until the next time, then they should take 2 doses together.
    3. Next day therapy: If patients forget to take the morning dosage, they should take it as soon as possible if still in the morning. If they do not remember until the evening of the same day, then they should not take the medicine that day. In other words, they stop the medication for one entire day, and take the same dosage on the next day. Resume the same frequency after then.


3. What are the common usage?

The treatment method is determined by the physician based on the patient's condition, and commonly used steroid drugs are as follows:

  1. Oral tablets: Prednisolone , Methylprednisolone.
  2. Intravenous injection: Solu-Medrol.
  3. Topical steroid: Locacorten, Nerisone, Rinderona-V, Topicon.
  4. Inhaled steroid: Beclomethasone dipropionate, Budesonide, Fluticasone propionate, Ciclesonide.

 

Reference
  1. Chen, M., Fu, W., Xu, H., & Liu, C. (2023). Pathogenic mechanisms of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews, 70, 54–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cytogfr.2023.03.002
  2. Criveanu, C. (2025). Corticosteroid therapy in rheumatology: Essential treatment, challenges and solutions. IntechOpen. https://www.intechopen.com/online-first/1226288
  3. Tavares, L. C., Caetano, L. de, & Ianhez, M. (2024). Side effects of chronic systemic glucocorticoid therapy: What dermatologists should know. Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia, 99(2), 259–268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abd.2023.05.005
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