Facts about Prednisone Long Term Side Effects
Prednisone therapy has helped many patients for years now when it comes to treating their health problems. However, there are some prednisone long term side effects that have been documented and a number of them are quite grave. Learning about these prednisone side effects will help you determine whether this type of therapy treatment is right for you.
Prednisone Background Information
Prednisone is a form of corticosteroid or glucocorticoid medication which is used to treat conditions that typically involve inflammation. In most patients, this type of treatment is very effective but prolonged use of this medication causes problems. Intravenous, injection, and oral intake of this medication can trigger side effects. On the other hand, when glucocorticoids are breathed in, such as for asthma treatments, side effects are usually minimal since dosages are much lower.
Some people confuse prednisone and other glucocorticoids with anabolic steroids. The latter is a substance abused by some athletes for muscle mass and performance enhancement. Most of the patients use prednisone treatments for their rheumatoid arthritis and other rheumatic illnesses. Also known as prednisolone, this is used to obtain quick control for the said disease types until other drugs are prescribed by the doctors.
Common Prednisone Therapy Side Effects
At present, rheumatic diseases including rheumatoid arthritis are quite difficult to cure. Prednisone treatment can help a patient feel better because of the decreased joint swelling, fatigue, and joint pain. In recent studies, it has been discovered that such therapy can assist in slow joint damage as well. Although this can really help in rheumatic diseases, there are side effects of prednisone that can affect a person’s life and lifestyle including:
Increased appetite
Weight gain
Change in the shape of the body
Acne
Easy bruising
Thinning of the skin
Amplified defenselessness to infections
Quick mood changes
Fluid retention
Prednisone and diet are associated with each other, which is why weight gain is one of the most recognized side effects of prednisone therapy. The shape of the body may change because of the swelling of fatty tissues on the trunk at the same time as the legs and the arms get thinner. In connection with this, as the skin gets thinner, it is more susceptible to bruising. It is significant that a person who will take this therapy knows about the correlation between prednisone and diet. Another is mood swing, which may not be troublesome to other people. However, as individuals get revved up, this may result to insomnia and even depression.
Harmful Long Term Side Effects of Prednisone
As you continue your intake, there are prednisone long term side effects that may arise. While getting fatter may not cause some people to be distressed, here are the side effects that could lead to a destructive body system:
Increased blood sugar
Blood pressure amplification
Unfavorable alterations in the levels of cholesterol
Glaucoma
Early cataracts
Bone thinning
Muscle inflammation
Psychotic behavior
Adrenal suppression
You may already be aware that when the blood sugar increases, diabetes may ensue. Prednisone and diabetes are often connected with each other though it is not known about the type of diabetes that occurs. Diabetes lasts a lifetime and requires regular insulin intake. Your doctor should warn you and elaborate on the existing link between prednisone and diabetes before your therapy.
Meanwhile, increased blood pressure denotes hypertension, which is a feared condition especially by older people because it may lead to stroke, congestive heart failure, and kidney malfunction among others. Another dreaded side effect is bone thinning since this may lead to osteoporosis.
Muscle inflammation is one of the rare prednisone side effects along with obtaining psychotic behavior. The latter is uncommon especially those that take only 20 mg or lower daily. Poor stress response may lead to adrenal suppression wherein the natural production of steroids in the body is turned on or off. This takes place because the steroid supply comes from another source other than the natural producers in the body.
The mentioned prednisone side effects may lead to a person becoming critically ill. It is significant for a person to tell a medical professional about his condition including the side effects incurred especially when a patient is about to go through surgery.