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What To Know About Corticosteroids
Corticosteroids are a class of drugs that can reduce inflammation. However, they also cause a range of side effects that limit their use. Types of corticosteroid include prednisone and cortisone.
Corticosteroids are different than the performance-enhancing drugs that some athletes and bodybuilders use. Those are anabolic steroids.
In this article, we take a look at the types of corticosteroids and their uses. We also look at how these drugs work and the possible risks of using them.
Corticosteroids have several different effects on the body, which means that they can treat a range of medical conditions. They can reduce inflammation, suppress overactive immune system responses, and help with hormonal imbalances.
Corticosteroids are fast-acting in the body, which makes them useful for treating sudden, severe symptoms. For example, they can effectively manage allergic responses.
These drugs can also suppress the immune system, which makes them helpful for treating autoimmune diseases.
Some conditions that corticosteroids can help treat include:
Doctors may also use them to treat people who are recovering from an organ transplant.
Corticosteroids have a long history of use in the United States. Most are now available in generic forms, including:
Corticosteroids can come in the form of:
A doctor will prescribe different forms of corticosteroids, depending on the problem. For example, they may prescribe a cream, lotion, ointment, or gel to treat skin conditions.
Long-term use of corticosteroids can have side effects that include:
Long-term corticosteroid use can cause the adrenal glands to stop producing the hormone cortisol. After stopping corticosteroid use, it may take some time for the body to start making cortisol at a normal rate.
Short-term use of corticosteroids is safer, but there are still risks. For example, these drugs can cause changes in sleep, mood, and appetite.
There are also signs that short-term use can have more serious side effects. A 2017 study involving 327,452 adults who received a prescription for corticosteroids found that within 30 days of using them, there was an increase in the risk of sepsis, blood clots, and bone fractures.
Corticosteroids mimic the effects of hormones, such as cortisol. A doctor will prescribe corticosteroids to either increase the action of these hormones above a normal level or return it to a normal level.
A person with Addison's disease, for example, can benefit from this treatment as their body will not produce enough cortisol.
The increase in hormonal activity suppresses the immune system, which is responsible for activating inflammation in the body. By suppressing immune system activity, corticosteroids can reduce inflammation.
Corticosteroids can have substantial effects on the body by suppressing the immune system. Doctors typically use corticosteroids if other treatments are not working, or they require a rapid response.
Taking corticosteroids can cause spikes in blood sugar levels, which can be dangerous for people with diabetes.
Corticosteroids could be harmful in people with:
It is possible to use corticosteroid medications during pregnancy, but there are always risks with corticosteroid use. Therefore, doctors may avoid prescribing them to women who are pregnant when possible.
Corticosteroids can reduce the effectiveness of some medications and make others more potent. Before using corticosteroids, people should tell a doctor if they are taking any medications to treat the following:
Certain vaccines, such as those for measles, mumps, and tuberculosis, can have dangerous interactions with corticosteroids. Other vaccines, such as those for flu or pneumonia, may not work as well if a person is also taking a high dosage of a corticosteroid.
It can also be harmful to use corticosteroids alongside nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil).
The side effects may differ depending on the specific form of corticosteroid. For example, a corticosteroid cream that a person applies to the face might have different side effects than a corticosteroid tablet or injection.
Taking lower dosages over shorter periods will reduce the risk of side effects from corticosteroids. Doctors will always try to prescribe the lowest dosage that will still provide effective treatment.
Some tips to reduce the risk of problems when taking corticosteroids include:
Corticosteroids are effective in suppressing the immune system and reducing inflammation. They are useful for a variety of conditions, particularly when prompt treatment is necessary.
Both long-term and short-term use of corticosteroids can have side effects, some of which are serious. It is important only to take corticosteroids if there are no viable alternatives.
When using corticosteroids, a person should take note of any side effects or changes in symptoms. They should also make sure that their doctor is aware of any other medications and supplements that they are taking. The doctor can help them avoid harmful interactions.
Skin Lightening Treatments
Skin lightening products -- also known as bleaching creams, whiteners, skin brighteners, or fading creams -- work by reducing a pigment called melanin in the skin. Most people who use lighteners do so to treat skin problems such as age spots, acne scars, or discoloration related to hormones. It is also a technique used to lighten naturally dark skin.
Skin-lightening products do come with some risks. As with any new product, be sure to read the label and know the facts before you buy and apply a skin lightener.
Skin color is determined by the amount of melanin in the skin. Melanin is a pigment produced by specialized cells called melanocytes. People with dark skin have more melanin.
How much melanin your skin has is mainly a matter of your genetic makeup. Sunlight exposure, hormones, skin damage, and exposure to certain chemicals can also affect melanin production.
Changes in skin color will often resolve themselves. For instance, tans fade when the amount of direct exposure to sunlight is reduced. But over time, certain discolorations, such as "age" spots or "liver" spots, become more or less permanent.
Skin bleaching is a cosmetic treatment to reduce the prominence of skin discolorations and even out the color of the skin. You can buy bleaching creams over the counter and by prescription.
Some people apply skin lightener to their entire body to change their complexion, but this can be very risky. The active ingredient in some skin lighteners is mercury, so bleaching can lead to mercury poisoning.
Mercury is a toxic agent that can cause serious psychiatric, neurological, and kidney problems. Pregnant women who use a skin lightener with mercury can pass the mercury to their unborn child.
The use of mercury as an ingredient in skin lighteners is banned in the U.S. However, some skin lighteners produced outside the U.S. May still contain mercury.
Skin lighteners contain an active ingredient or a combination of ingredients that reduces the amount of melanin in the skin where it is applied.
The most widely used ingredient in skin lighteners sold in the U.S. Is hydroquinone.
The FDA regulates the use of hydroquinone in the U.S. Over-the-counter skin lighteners can contain up to 2% hydroquinone. Dermatologists can write prescriptions for lighteners that contain 4%-6% hydroquinone.
It's important to check with your doctor before using a product with hydroquinone and to follow the doctor's directions exactly.
Other skin lighteners use drugs such as steroids and retinoic acid, which come from vitamin A, as active ingredients. And some skin lighteners use natural ingredients such as kojic acid -- a compound that comes from a fungus -- and arbutin, a compound found in various plants.
One of the most significant risks of using some skin lighteners is the potential exposure to mercury. One study found that nearly 1 out of every 4 skin lighteners made in Asia and sold outside the U.S. Contained mercury.
There are other potential risks of skin lighteners. Those risks can include the following:
If you have any questions about a product you are considering, talk with your doctor or pharmacist to be certain it's safe. Your dermatologist may also recommend other treatment options, such as chemical peels, microdermabrasion, microneedling, and laser treatments.
6 Types Of Drugs That Could Cause Depression
Because they depress your central nervous system, benzodiazepines can make you feel sleepy and tired, and they tend to reduce cognitive function – factors that may contribute to depression, Ziffra says. "If you're sleeping most of the day and you're not engaging in many activities, that can influence mood," he says.
In addition to the risk of depression, benzodiazepines can be dangerous for older adults for other reasons, according to the National Institutes of Health. They can impair cognition, mobility and driving skills in older people, and they increase the risk of falls. They are also habit-forming, and long-term use can lead to withdrawal symptoms if they're discontinued.
5. Anti-seizure medicationsDrugs such as Keppra (levetiracetam), Topamax (topiramate) and Dilantin (phenytoin) help control seizures caused by epilepsy and other conditions, but they may also be prescribed for conditions such as anxiety, migraines, bipolar disorder, nerve pain, fibromyalgia and restless leg syndrome.
In 2008, the FDA issued a warning for all types of anti-seizure drugs after a meta-analysis found that they increased the risk of suicidal behavior.
In the years since, questions have been raised about whether all anti-seizure drugs carry an increased risk, and at least one analysis of studies of newer anti-seizure medications did not find a link.
Ziffra says anti-seizure medications are "very diverse," and different drugs may either elevate or depress your mood. While no one can predict with certainty how a medicine will affect an individual, the Epilepsy Foundation lists some of the drugs most commonly associated with improved mood, and those linked to worse depression.
6. Opioids and some other pain medicationsEven though opioids are highly addictive, physicians still prescribe them to help patients get through pain from surgery or a traumatic injury, or for painful conditions such as back ailments, sickle cell disease, cancer or rheumatoid arthritis. If you use them for too long, research indicates you may be at an increased risk of depression.
One study of more than 100,000 patients published in the Annals of Family Medicine found that 1 out of 10 who used the medication for more than a month developed new-onset depression. The researchers speculated that opioids cause changes in the brain regions associated with reward and pleasure, leading to depression.
Other pain medicines – including over-the-counter drugs such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (sold as Advil, Motrin, and Aleve) – also have been linked to depressive side effects with long-term use.
Signs of depressionTalk to your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms of depression. Make sure you mention any medications you started in the past few months.
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