Dexamethasone

About dexamethasone

Dexamethasone belongs to a group of medicines called corticosteroids. It is sometimes referred to simply as an ستيرويد فموي. Corticosteroids are produced naturally in your body. They help to keep you healthy. By boosting your body with extra corticosteroid, it can help treat conditions involving inflammation.

Oral steroids are used to treat a wide variety of conditions. Some examples include inflammatory bowel diseases (for example, مرض كرون, التهاب القولون التقرحي), autoimmune diseases (for example, الذئبة الحمراء الجهازية (SLE), الساركويد), joint and muscle diseases (for example, التهاب المفاصل الروماتويدي), and allergies. Dexamethasone is also used in the treatment of some cancers and in people receiving palliative care. In children, it is prescribed to treat a breathing condition called croup.

Dexamethasone is also used to diagnose Cushing's disease (an adrenal gland disorder), and is prescribed as a treatment for people who have a disorder called فرط تنسج الكظرية الخلقي (CAH).

Dexamethasone is also used to treat inflammation in the eyes. More information about this can be found in our leaflet Dexamethasone eye drops for inflammation.

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine can only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking dexamethasone it is important that your doctor knows:

• إذا كنت تعاني من ارتفاع ضغط الدم (فرط ضغط الدم).

• إذا كنت قد تعرضت لنوبة قلبية، أو إذا كان لديك أي مشاكل أخرى في القلب.

• إذا كان لديك أي مشاكل في طريقة عمل الكبد لديك، أو إذا كان لديك أي مشاكل في طريقة عمل الكلى لديك.

• إذا كنت (أو أحد أفراد عائلتك المقربين) تعاني من مرض السكري أو حالة في العين تسمى الجلوكوما.

• إذا كنت تعاني من أي من الحالات التالية: قصور في الغدة الدرقية، ترقق العظام (هشاشة العظام)، الصرع، حالة تسبب ضعف العضلات (تسمى الوهن العضلي الوبيل)، قرحة المعدة، أو اضطراب في الأمعاء.

• إذا كنت قد عانيت من مشكلة في الصحة النفسية من قبل.

• If you are pregnant or breastfeeding. (Oral steroids like dexamethasone can be taken while you are expecting or breastfeeding; however, it is important that your doctor knows about the baby.)

• إذا كنت تعاني من أي نوع من العدوى في الوقت الحالي، أو إذا كنت قد أصبت بمرض السل (TB) من قبل.

• إذا كنت قد عانيت من قبل من جلطة دموية غير مرغوب فيها في شريان أو وريد.

• إذا كنت قد تلقيت مؤخرًا أي تطعيمات أو على وشك تلقيها.

• إذا كنت تتناول أو تستخدم أي أدوية أخرى. يشمل ذلك أي أدوية يمكن شراؤها بدون وصفة طبية، بالإضافة إلى الأدوية العشبية والمكملات الغذائية.

• إذا كنت قد تعرضت في أي وقت مضى لرد فعل تحسسي تجاه دواء، أو إذا كنت قد شعرت بألم في العضلات بعد تناول دواء ستيرويدي.

• Before starting the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack and any additional information you are given by your doctor. These will give you more information about dexamethasone and will also provide you with a full list of side-effects which you could experience from taking it.

• Your doctor or pharmacist will tell you how much to take, and when to take your doses. Depending upon the reason why you are taking dexamethasone, you will be prescribed either a single dose, or a course of treatment. If you are prescribed a single dose, your doctor will tell you at what time to take the medicine. If you are prescribed a course of treatment, it is usual to take the doses once a day, straight after breakfast. However, if you are taking dexamethasone for CAH or as a test for Cushing's syndrome, you will be advised to take your doses at bedtime.

• Take dexamethasone with something to eat. Swallow the tablet with a drink of water.

• إذا نسيت تناول جرعة في الوقت المعتاد، تناولها بمجرد أن تتذكر (مع شيء من الطعام). إذا لم تتذكر حتى اليوم التالي، فاترك الجرعة الفائتة. لا تتناول جرعتين معًا لتعويض الجرعة المنسية.

• Continue to take dexamethasone until your doctor tells you to stop. Once you have been taking dexamethasone for more than three weeks, stopping taking it suddenly can cause problems, so your doctor will want to reduce your dose gradually over a period of time if/when this becomes necessary.

• If your course of treatment is due to last more than three weeks, you will be given a 'Steroid Treatment Card' which says that you are on steroids and contains some important advice for you. It is important that you read this card and carry it with you at all times. It also contains details about your dose, how long you have been taking dexamethasone for, and who prescribed it for you. Please make sure that this information is kept up to date. If you are having an operation or dental treatment or any treatment for an injury, tell the person carrying out the treatment that you are taking dexamethasone and show them your treatment card. This is because your dose may need adjusting.

• حاول الحفاظ على مواعيدك المنتظمة مع طبيبك. هذا لكي يتمكن طبيبك من متابعة تقدمك. سيرغب طبيبك في أن تجري اختبارات من وقت لآخر للتأكد من أنك تبقى خاليًا من بعض الآثار الجانبية غير المرغوب فيها للعلاج.

• Dexamethasone can suppress your immune system, so it is important if you become ill that you make an appointment to see your doctor straightaway. Also, if you come into contact with anyone who has measles, shingles or chickenpox (or anyone who suspects they might have them), you ضرورة see your doctor as soon as possible.

• Some vaccines are not suitable for you while you are being treated with dexamethasone. If you need any immunisations, make sure you mention that you are taking an oral steroid.

• If you buy any medicines, check with your pharmacist that they are suitable to take with dexamethasone.

Along with its useful effects, dexamethasone can cause unwanted side-effects which your doctor will discuss with you. The benefits of taking an oral steroid usually outweigh the side-effects; however, they can sometimes be troublesome. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with dexamethasone. The best place to find a full list of the side-effects which can be associated with your medicine, is from the manufacturer's printed information leaflet supplied with the medicine. Alternatively, you can find an example of a manufacturer's information leaflet in the reference section below.

على الرغم من أن ليس الجميع يعاني من الآثار الجانبية، وأن بعضها سيتحسن مع تكيف جسمك مع الدواء الجديد، تحدث مع طبيبك أو الصيدلي إذا شعرت بالقلق بشأن أي من الأمور التالية:

مهم: you should let your doctor know if you start to experience blurred vision or other vision problems whilst taking dexamethasone.

For more information about side-effects which are possible when dexamethasone is taken long-term, see the separate leaflet called الستيرويدات الفموية.

• احفظ جميع الأدوية بعيدًا عن متناول ورؤية الأطفال.

• احفظه في مكان بارد وجاف، بعيدًا عن الحرارة المباشرة والضوء.