Corticosteroids/glucocorticoids Flashcards
What are two types of corticosteroids?
Mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids
What are corticosteroids?
Hormones produced by the adrenal gland
What are minerralocorticoids?
Regulate mineral levels in the body
What do glucocorticoids do? 2
Have many effects in the body including antiinflammatory and
Inhibit production of phospholipase
How are corticosteroids regulated?
Feedback inhibition
What do glucocorticoids affect biologically?
CBC
What do glucocorticoids inhibit? 3
Scar tissue formation
T cell formation
Phospholipase production
What can glucocorticoids induce?
Labor
What can glucocorticoids suppress?
Body’s immune system
Of the biologic effects, What can glucocorticoids increase?
Gastric acid secretion
Breakdown of protien
Blood glucose levels
What can glucocorticoids decrease? 4
Inflammation
Mucus production in GI
Lymphocytes
Eosinophils
What can overuse of glucocorticoids lease to?
Hyperadrenocorticism
What are five symptoms of hyperadrenocorticism?
PUPD Polyphagia Alopecia Muscle atrophy (pot bellied) Thin skin
What are glucocorticoids classified by?
Length of effect
What are short acting glucocorticoids?
Biologic effect lasting less than 12 hours
What are intermediate acting glucocorticoids?
Biologic effect lastig 12-36 hours
What are long acting glucocorticoids?
Last longer that 48 hours
What are two examples of short acting glucocorticoids?
Hydrocortisone and cortisone
What are five examples of intermediate acting glucocorticoids?
Prednisone Prednisolone Triamcinolone Methylprednisolone Isoupredone
What are three examples of long acting glucocorticoids?
Dexamethasone
Betamethasone
Flumethasone
What is an aqueous solution?
The glucocorticoid is combined with a salt and dissolved in water
What can be given in large doses intravenously with less risk of an adverse reaction and has a relatively rapid onset of activity?
Aqueous solutions
What are two examples of aqueous solutions?
Dexamethasone sodium phosphate
Prednisolone sodium succinate
This glucocorticoid formulation does not contain salt and is dissolved in alchohol and the glucocorticoid is the only active ingredient
Alchohol solutions
This formulation the glucocorticoid is suspended in a liquid and needs to be shaken
Suspensions
How long do suspensions take to absorb?
Period of days
What glucocorticoid should never be administer IV and be kept at room temp?
Suspension
What are two examples of suspensions?
Methylprednisolone acetate
Triancinone
What are six safe guidelines for glucocorticoids
Use another drug if possible
Use smallest dose then reduce
Avoid continuous use, alternate days
Be cautious when using ones that have a long biologic or lasting effect
Taper dose down when discontinuing
Glucocorticoids can be infuriated by other disease processes
