Stadsone 16

Rx

Indications

• An anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive treatment for some diseases including causes due to hematology, allergies, arthritis, cancer and autoimmune.

Dosage

Children: Dosage for children should be based on the severity of the disease and the response of the patient rather than on strict adherence to dosage indicated by age, body weight, or body surface area. After a satisfactory response is obtained, dosage should be decreased in small decrements to the lowest level that maintains adequate clinical response. When long-term oral methylprednisolone therapy is necessary, an alternate-day dosage regimen should be considered. Following long-term therapy, methylprednisolone should be withdrawn gradually.
Adult: The initial dosage may range from 2 – 60 mg daily, depending on the disease being treated, and is usually administered in 4 divided doses.

• For certain allergic conditions (contact dermatitis):
  The recommended initial dosage (using 4 mg tablets) is 24 mg (6 tablets) for the first day, which is then tapered by 4 mg daily until 21 tablets have been administered for 6 days.
• Asthma:
  In children younger than 4 years of age (more than 3 exacerbations per year) and in children 5 – 11 years of age (at least 2 exacerbations per year), methylprednisolone 1 – 2 mg/kg daily (maximum 60 mg daily) may be added to existing asthma therapy.
  In adults and adolescents (at least 2 exacerbations per year), methylprednisolone 40 – 60 mg daily as a single dose or in 2 divided doses may be added to low-to-high maintenance dosages in the inhaled corticosteroid and a long-acting inhaled β2-agonist bronchodilator. A short course (usually 3 – 10 days) of oral corticosteroid therapy should be continued until the patient achieves a peak expiratory flow (PEF) of 80% of his or her personal best and until symptoms resolve. Once asthma is well controlled, repeated attempts should be made to reduce the oral corticosteroid dosage.

Usage

• Oral administration.

• Known hypersensitivity to any of the active substance or excipients.
• Serious infections, except septic shock and tuberculous meningitis.
• Viral, fungal, or tubercular skin lesions.
• Administration of live virus vaccines.

• Adverse effects occur most commonly when using methylprednisolone in high doses and long-term therapy.
• Methylprednisolone inhibits prostaglandin synthesis and thus suppresses prostaglandin effects on the gastrointestinal tract that include inhibition of gastric acid secretion and protection of the gastric mucosa. Many adverse effects are related to this action of glucocorticoids.

Common

• Insomnia, nervous agitation,
• Increased appetite, indigestion,
• Hirsutism,
• Diabetes mellitus,
• Arthralgia,
• Cataracts, glaucoma,
• Epistaxis.

• The use should be cautioned in patients with osteoporosis, newly established anastomoses, psychosis, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, diabetes, hypertension, cardiac insufficiency and growing individuals (children), hepatic failure, renal failure, glaucoma, thyroid disease, cataracts.
• Because of the risk of adverse effects, systemic corticosteroids should be used cautiously in the elderly, with the smallest possible dose, and for the shortest possible time.
• Acute adrenal insufficiency may occur with abrupt withdrawal after long-term therapy or with stress.
• At high doses, interference with vaccination can occur.
• Stadsone 16 contains lactose. Patients with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, total lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption should not take this medicine.
• Stadsone 16 contains sucrose (saccharose). Patients with rare hereditary problems of fructose intolerance, glucose-galactose malabsorption or sucrase-isomaltase insufficiency should not take this medicine.
• The use of methylprednisolone in pregnant women requires that the anticipated benefits of the drug should be weighed against possible hazards to the mother and the child.
• Lactation: Corticosteroid is distributed into milk, should be used in caution.
• The effect of corticosteroids on the ability to drive or use machinery has not been evaluated. There is no evidence to suggest that methylprednisolone may affect the ability to drive and use machines. No deleterious effect of corticosteroids on driving or operating machinery ability is expected.