Steroid Side Effects: What Do You Need to Know Before Taking Steroids
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Steroid Side Effects: What Do You Need to Know Before Taking Steroids

17 Mins read
cigna-teamAuthorCigna Team

With proven effectiveness and wide-ranged applications, steroids, or corticosteroid, have become one of the commonly used drugs by many medical professionals. However, rumours said that steroids tend to cause serious side effects, such as obesity, ‘moon face (swelling face)’, acne and sleep problems. In this article, Cigna Smart Health will introduce the principles, applications and side effects of steroids in depth.

The adrenal glands of the human body secrete a certain amount of steroid hormones every day. When the body is under extreme conditions (such as shock, severe infections and injuries), the glands produce steroids to make stress and immune response and control inflammation to maintain one’s health.

Steroids are an artificial version of chemicals, known as hormones, made naturally in the human body. Corticosteroids are designed to act like these hormones to reduce inflammation by regulating the immune system (many diseases are developed from inflammation).

There are three types of steroids.

Types of Steroid Agents

Applications

What Conditions Is It Used For?

Oral

tablets, dissolvable tablets and liquids

Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, gout, other types of inflammatory arthritis or autoimmune conditions.

Topical

Eye drops, ointments, nasal spray and cream

Improve respiratory system conditions, relieve allergy and control asthma

Injection

 

  • Inject into a joint, muscle, blood or spinal area
  • Intravenous injection

 

 

 

Pulse Steroid Therapy is a concept with a high daily dose of intravenous steroids over a short span of time (usually 3 continuous days). It is designed to treat long-term severe autoimmune disease such as:

  • Lupus erythematosus that oral medications cannot control
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Polymyositis and dermatomyositis
  • Ankylosing spondylitis

During the therapy, patients’ blood pressure and heartbeat need to be monitored. Possible side effects include increased blood pressure, weight gain, increased striae formation, and hypokalemia.

If you are doubtful about pulse steroid therapy or need to receive this treatment, Cigna’s Care Managers, staffed by passionate registered nurses possessing proven clinical experience of handling complex situations, are standing by to provide you with suitable assistance and monitor your conditions during the course of treatments.

As mentioned above, steroids are used to reduce pain and inflammation. Common clinical applications of steroids are listed as followed:

  1. Endocrine dyscrasia: E.g. adrenal glands dysfunction
  2. Rheumatism: E.g. rheumatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and spondylitis
  3. Allergic disease: E.g. allergic rhinitis, Dermatitis or asthma
  4. Gastrointestinal disorder: E.g. gastroenteritis and ulcerative colitis
  5. Haematological disease: E.g. Hemolytic Anaemia, Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura
  6. Dermatomycosis: E.g. psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis
  7. Autoimmune Diseases: E.g. nephrotic syndrome, transplant rejection and lupus erythematosus

Although steroids are effective in improving the conditions above, they could cause serious side effects. In Hong Kong, steroids are categorised as prescription-only medicine. Your doctors would evaluate the risk and effectiveness before any prescription. It is not recommended to purchase the drugs without a prescription.

The side effects of corticosteroid vary among people. Some even do not experience any effects after application. Side effects become more prominent with higher doses and prolonged treatments. Generally, the side effects of oral steroids are more significant than the other types.

Here are some possible side effects brought by steroids:

      • Acne
      • Blurred Vision
      • Cataract or glaucoma
      • Easy bruising
      • Difficulty sleeping
      • High blood pressure
      • Increased appetite, weight gain
      • Increased growth of body hair
      • Insomnia
      • Lower resistance to infection
      • Muscle weakness
      • Nervousness, restlessness
      • Osteoporosis
      • Stomach irritation or bleeding
      • Sudden mood swings
      • Swollen, puffy face
      • Water retention, swelling
      • Worsening of diabetes

In rare cases (especially by injection), the following side effects may be observed:

      • Infection
      • anaphylaxis
      • Hemarthrosis
      • disinsertion
      • Color change of skin
      • Bone, ligament and tendon weakness (due to a repeated injection over one area)

The side effects of steroids are temporary and mild, diminishing along with the reduction in dosage. In general, only prolonged use of steroids yields serious side effects. The steroid metabolites do not accumulate in the human body and go away by excretion.

Please consult your doctor and understand the side effects when taking any types of steroids. Below are some precautions that you may need to take note of.

      • Do not stop taking or change the dosage as required
      • Inform other medical staff that you are using steroid when necessary
      • Consult your doctor before vaccination as serious complications may develop
      • Visit your doctor if you experience side effects
      • Take oral steroids with or after a meal (as per your doctor’s instructions)

You could also reduce the side effects by changing your lifestyle.

Steroids are prescription-only drugs. Please consult your doctors regarding the details and costs of treatments.

Source

  1. 藥物辦公室- 口服皮質類固醇的健康資訊
  2. Prednisone and other corticosteroids: Balance the risks and benefits
  3. 使用類固醇,副作用會不會很多?(懶人包) - 照護線上
  4. 類固醇脈衝療法| 臺北榮總護理部健康e點通
  5. 類固醇有哪些風險與副作用?藥物功效與7大注意事項| iHealth

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