What are the education needs of patients requiring corticosteroid therapy?
Patients taking corticosteroids require counseling and education to avoid and manage the many adverse effects. A healthy lifestyle should be highly encouraged. A low salt diet may help reduce fluid retention, and a healthy diet along with exercise may prevent additional weight gain.
What do you monitor with corticosteroids?
Corticosteroids can increase blood glucose, so close monitoring of blood sugar and higher doses of diabetes medications may be needed.
What teach about corticosteroids?
Corticosteroids (cortisone-like medicines) are used to provide relief for inflamed areas of the body. They lessen swelling, redness, itching, and allergic reactions. They are often used as part of the treatment for a number of different diseases, such as severe allergies or skin problems, asthma, or arthritis.
How do you use corticosteroids?
The medicine should only be applied to affected areas of skin. Gently smooth a thin layer onto your skin in the direction the hair grows. If you’re using both topical corticosteroids and emollients, you should apply the emollient first. Then wait about 30 minutes before applying the topical corticosteroid.
Why do corticosteroids need to be tapered?
If you take prednisone for more than a few weeks, your adrenal glands decrease cortisol production. A gradual reduction in prednisone dosage gives your adrenal glands time to resume their normal function.
What should you monitor when taking prednisone?
What monitoring will I need? Your doctor will order regular lab tests to check your response to prednisone and monitor for toxicity. You will need to have your blood sugar checked regularly. Your doctor may order additional tests depending on the results.
What should you monitor for long term steroid use?
NICE recommends that blood pressure (BP, secondary hypertension), weight (Wt, gain), glucose (DM), triglycerides (TG, hypertriglyceridaemia) and glucose and urea and electrolytes (U&Es, adrenal insufficiency) are monitored regularly.
What is the action of corticosteroids?
Corticosteroids modify the functions of epidermal and dermal cells and of leukocytes participating in proliferative and inflammatory skin diseases. After passage through the cell membrane corticosteroids react with receptor proteins in the cytoplasm to form a steroid-receptor complex.
What instructions should you provide regarding precautions to take related to corticosteroid therapy?
How can you care for yourself at home?
- Be safe with medicines. Take your medicines exactly as prescribed.
- Take your medicine after a meal.
- Avoid taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) while you are taking oral corticosteroids.
- Follow your doctor’s instructions for how to stop taking this medicine.
How do corticosteroids reduce inflammation?
Corticosteroids can reduce inflammation in the body and relieve related symptoms, such as body pain, swelling, and stiffness. Corticosteroids reduce inflammation by suppressing the immune system. They are a standard treatment for autoimmune conditions, which often cause inflammation in the body.
How do you apply steroid cream to your hands?
Wash the affected area(s) of skin well and rinse away all traces of soap or cleanser. Pat the skin dry rather than rubbing it. Apply the cream or ointment thinly and evenly to the affected area(s). Gently massage the cream or ointment into the skin until it has all disappeared.
When is the best time to take corticosteroids for children?
Children—Dose is based on body weight or size and must be determined by your doctor. Adults—At first, the dose is 9 milligrams (mg) a day for up to eight weeks. Then your doctor may decrease the dose to 6 mg a day. Each dose should be taken in the morning before breakfast. Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
How are corticosteroids used in the medical field?
They lessen swelling, redness, itching, and allergic reactions. They are often used as part of the treatment for a number of different diseases, such as severe allergies or skin problems, asthma, or arthritis. Corticosteroids may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.
What should you know before taking a corticosteroid?
Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully. Corticosteroids may cause infections such as chickenpox or measles to be more serious in children who catch them.
What are the side effects of systemic corticosteroid therapy?
Osteoporosis, adrenal suppression, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, Cushing’s syndrome, psychiatric disturbances and immunosuppression are among the more serious side effects noted with systemic corticosteroid therapy, particularly when used at high doses for prolonged periods.
