Patients with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, total lactase deficiency or glucose – galactose malabsorption should not take Flazacort 6.
Adrenal suppression: After prolonged therapy must therefore always be gradual to avoid acute adrenal insufficiency which could be fatal, being tapered off over weeks or months according to the dose and duration of treatment.
Anti-inflammatory/immunosuppressive effects and infection.
The following clinical conditions require special caution and frequent patient monitoring is necessary:
- Cardiac disease or congestive heart failure (except in the presence of active rheumatic carditis), hypertension, thromboembolic disorders. Dietary salt restriction and potassium supplementation may be necessary.
- Gastritis or oesophagitis, diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis if there is probability of impending perforation, abscess or pyogenic infections, fresh intestinal anastomosis, active or latent peptic ulcer.
- Diabetes mellitus or a family history, osteoporosis, myasthenia gravis, renal insufficiency.
- Emotional instability or psychotic tendency, epilepsy.
- Previous corticosteroid-induced myopathy.
- Liver failure.
- Hypothyroidism and cirrhosis, which may increase glucocorticoid effect.
- Ocular Herpes simplex because of possible corneal perforation.
Corticosteroids cause dose-related growth retardation in infancy, childhood and adolescence which may be irreversible.
The common adverse effects of systemic corticosteroids may be associated with more serious consequences in old age, especially osteoporosis, hypertension, hypokalaemia, diabetes, susceptibility to infection and thinning of the skin. Close clinical supervision is required to avoid lifethreatening reactions.
Extreme caution should be exercised when prescribe Flazacort 6 in pregnant and nursing women.
Patients should be aware of how they react to Flazacort 6 before driving or operating machinery.
