Corticosteroids are substances that belong to a subclass of steroid hormones. Moreover, they are produced not by the sex glands, but exclusively by the adrenal cortex; that is why they do not have estrogenic, androgenic or gestagenic activity. Corticosteroid hormones are substances that are completely natural for the body, which perform biochemical processes, regulate vital mechanisms, support the immune system, and participate in carbohydrate, water-salt and protein metabolism. Details about drugs containing these hormones, what they are and why they are needed will be discussed in our article.
Indications for the use of drugs that contain this type of hormone
A corticosteroid drug, which is most often called simply a steroid, is administered artificially, but it plays the same role as the so-called natural hormone: it provides metabolic processes, restores connective tissue, converts starch into sugar, and fights all kinds of inflammations. Such drugs are often used in the treatment of diseases such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, renal and thyroid dysfunctions, tendonitis. Corticosteroid creams and ointments are often used in transplantology, as they protect the body from rejection of transplanted organs.
Contraindications to the use of drugs that contain corticosteroid hormones
Side effects when using corticosteroid drugs can be pronounced headaches, pain in the legs or back, dizziness, degeneration of tissues that are constantly in contact with the drug. The corticosteroid preparation may be either a glucocorticoid or a mineralocorticoid. It is available in the form of tablets, powders, ointments, sprays, drops, gels, capsules. Such drugs are very effective for the treatment of various diseases, for example, corticosteroid ointments for phimosis in men are often prescribed as an alternative to surgery, they are also used to treat children (boys). True, such therapy can last quite a long time, sometimes up to 2-3 months. In this case, the ointment is usually applied 2 times a day.
Types of corticosteroid drugs
So what are the names of corticosteroid drugs? Their list is quite extensive, only a few of them are presented below. For starters - tablets and capsules:
- āCelestonā;
- āKenalogā;
- āMetipredā;
- Kenacort
- "Polcortolon";
- āMedrolā;
- "Urbazon";
- "Prednisolone";
- Corineff
- āFlorinnefā and others.
And here is a list of ointments, gels, and corticosteroid creams:
- āDiprosalikā;
- āDermozoloneā;
- Mesoderm;
- āKremgenā;
- āElokomā;
- Kutivate;
- Betamethasone
- Triderm;
- āFlucinarā;
- āTriacutaneā;
- āHyoxysoneā;
- Sinoflan;
- āDermoveitā;
- āDelorsā and others.
It should also be borne in mind that often a corticosteroid preparation has anti-inflammatory or antiseptic components, as well as antibiotics.
Other corticosteroid drugs are nasal. Detailed list
Nasal preparations of corticosteroid hormones include such medications that help treat chronic rhinitis and purulent processes in the nasopharynx. As a result of the use of such drugs, the ease of breathing through the nose is restored and the possibility of reproduction of microorganisms dangerous to human health living on mucous membranes is reduced. These drugs include:
- āFlixonaseā;
- "Nazarel";
- āNasobekā;
- Nazonex
- "Rinokinil";
- Beclomethasone;
- āTafen Nasalā;
- Aldetsin;
- āAvamisā and others.
It is important to note that this form of drugs has much less negative impact and side effects on the body than injections or tablets.
Corticosteroids in the treatment of bronchi: inhalation
In the treatment of various spastic conditions of the bronchi (mainly bronchial asthma), indispensable drugs in the form of inhalations are used, because this is the most convenient form of therapy for such diseases. It is carried out using the following drugs that contain corticosteroids:
- āTriamcinoloneā;
- āFlunisolidā;
- Budesonide;
- āFluticasone propionateā;
- Benacort
- āMapleā;
- "Beclason";
- āBeclomethasone dipropionateā;
- Becklospire;
- āBudenitā;
- Pulmicort;
- Bekodisk;
- āDepot-medrolā;
- āDiprospanā and some others.
This form of the drug involves the following options: emulsion, ready-made solution, powder, which must first be diluted and prepare an inhaled filler. In this form, a corticosteroid drug does not penetrate the blood and mucous membranes at all, resistance to a specific substance is avoided, which does not lead to serious consequences of its use. Simply put, addiction to the drug does not develop, or it happens much later than if the patient used capsules or injections containing these hormones.
The effects of corticosteroid treatment
If the patient took drugs with the said homons for less than three weeks, then there will be no significant disorders in the body. If the use of drugs was carried out longer or often, then various complications are possible. Therefore, patients are required to have a special card and bracelets about the use of steroids. Side effects with prolonged use of steroids - nausea, anorexia, arthralgia, peeling of the skin, weight loss, dizziness, drowsiness. In general, these drugs are used in the treatment of many different diseases (asthma, psoriasis, polyarthritis and many others), but due to the fact that they are dangerous for prolonged use and have the ability to start irreversible processes in the body, their use without the participation of a doctor is categorically not recommended. With prolonged corticosteroid therapy, undesirable side effects can manifest themselves, especially in cases where the recommended dose is greatly exceeded. Therefore, taking into account all the risks, the doctor must carefully calculate how much and which particular corticosteroid drug the patient needs, adequately assess all the risks from its use and conduct therapy without exceeding the average recommended duration of taking these hormones (several weeks).