Intramuscularly, Prednisolone is administered to treat many diseases. This drug belongs to the category of glucocorticosteroid hormones. It can be used only after consultation with the attending physician, since injections have numerous contraindications and dangerous side effects. Most often, the drug is prescribed to those patients for whom the use of classic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is unacceptable.
Composition and form of release of the drug
In traditional medicine, doctors administer Prednisone intramuscularly to their patients to eliminate the pain syndrome. The medicine is sold in small ampoules. The solution is transparent, with a slight shade of green or yellow. The composition includes the following components:
- The main active ingredient is prednisolone, 30 mg.
- Pure water.
- Nicotinamide.
- Metabisulfite and sodium hydroxide.
- Edetate disodium.
In one package is a cardboard stand with three ampoules of medicine. The active substance is a synthetic analogue of the hormone, which in vivo is produced by the adrenal glands. The introduction of "Prednisolone" intramuscularly has a powerful immunosuppressive, anti-inflammatory and anti-toxic effect on the patient's body.
With regular use, the drug reduces the concentration of substances in the body that increase the permeability of the walls of blood vessels and soft tissue cells. Due to this, it is possible to avoid the development of puffiness, eliminate pain, reduce the sensitivity of nerve endings, increase the concentration of glucose in the blood, and also accelerate the removal of sodium salts from the body. Prednisolone perfectly restores the water-electrolyte balance.
The principle of exposure to the body
The introduction of "Prednisolone" intramuscularly allows you to achieve the optimal anti-shock, anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive and analgesic effect. Once in the patient’s body, the drug forms a specific glucocorticoid receptor. The active substance quickly penetrates the cell nucleus, where it interacts with genes. Because of this, a major change in the production of RNA and proteins is formed. In medicine, Prednisolone is highly regarded for its excellent anti-inflammatory effect, which is achieved due to the following factors:
- The main substance interferes with the exchange of genes from the COX-2 category. Due to this, the production of prostaglandins is reduced.
- Active components several times increase the natural production of lipocortin, which prevents the formation of phospholipase. Because of this, damaged tissues cannot produce arachidonic acid.
- The drug stops the metabolic processes between the molecules in the blood vessels, so that monocytes and neutrophils do not penetrate into the inflammatory focus.
Indications for use
It is possible to use the medicine only after the patient has carefully studied the instructions for Prednisolone. Intramuscular injections are administered only if the following diseases have been diagnosed:
- Autoimmune lesions of the skin (psoriasis, pemphigus, eczema, Dühring’s disease, exfoliative dermatitis, Lyell syndrome).
- Hepatitis.
- Aspiration and eosinophilic pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis.
- Granulomatous thyroiditis.
- Multiple sclerosis.
- Chronic and acute forms of pathologies that are accompanied by an inflammatory process in the joints and nearby soft tissues.
- Lungs' cancer.
- Cerebral edema.
- Allergic diseases.
- Rheumatic fever, lesser chorea, rheumatic heart disease.
- Inflammation of the digestive tract.
- Hypercalcemia, developing against the background of the presence of cancer.
- Nephrotic syndrome.
- Diffuse lesions of the connective tissue.
- Pathologies that are associated with hematopoiesis (anemia, leukemia).
- Hypoglycemic conditions.
- Congenital adrenal hyperplasia or dysfunction of their cortex.
- Primary and secondary hypocorticism.
- Autoimmune diseases.
- Pathologies of the organs of vision (uveitis, allergic conjunctivitis, allergic ulcerative keratitis, choroiditis, sympathetic ophthalmia, iridocyclitis).
- Interstitial diseases of the lung tissue (acute alveolitis, fibrosis, sarcoidosis).
Many patients prefer to use Prednisone in ampoules. Intramuscular injections are administered only after prior consultation with your doctor. The medication must be prescribed for anaphylactic shock or an attack of food allergies. After a few days, the patient is transferred to tablet therapy.
Contraindications
Before you figure out how to inject Prednisolone intramuscularly, you need to familiarize yourself with the list of conditions and pathologies in which it is forbidden to use this medication. Even in the most emergency situations, it is strictly forbidden to administer the solution if there is an increased sensitivity to the active components of the drug. The main contraindications include:
- Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, which are fraught with the occurrence of internal bleeding.
- AIDS, HIV.
- Severe infectious diseases: tuberculosis, herpes zoster or herpes simplex, measles, chickenpox.
- Parasitic, viral, bacterial or fungal infection of the body.
- Hepatic or renal failure.
- Serious abnormalities in the endocrine system.
- Increased levels of albumin in the blood.
- Pathology in the work of the cardiovascular system.
- Serious psychological diseases: schizophrenia, epilepsy, psychosis.
Manufacturers described all risk groups in detail in the instructions for use of Prednisolone. For adults, intramuscular injections are administered only after a full examination.
Instructions for use
Intramuscularly, Prednisone is administered with extreme caution. The dosage is always selected individually, since it all depends on the severity of the patient's condition, the localization of the affected organ. In acute diseases, therapists prescribe a kind of pulse therapy using high doses for a short period of time. Experts note the fact that the amount of the drug is adjusted depending on the patient’s response to treatment.
To achieve a positive therapeutic effect, it is necessary to correctly select the dosage of Prednisolone. Intramuscularly, the drug is administered as follows:
- With the development of acute adrenal insufficiency, a single dosage can vary from 110 to 200 mg. A maximum of 400 mg can be administered per day.
- In severe allergies, the drug is administered at 200 mg per day for 18 days.
- From 500 to 1200 mg can be used to combat asthma. Gradually, the daily dosage should be reduced to 300 mg.
- In acute inflammation of the liver, the drug is prescribed in a dosage of 75 to 100 mg. The treatment lasts 10 days.
After the appointment of a therapist, Prednisoloneum can be administered intramuscularly to children. The dosage depends on the age of the small patient: 1-2 mg / kg of body weight is used from 2 to 12 months. The solution is injected into the gluteal muscle. From 1 to 14 years, 2 mg / kg are used. The drug is injected deep into the muscle for three minutes. If necessary, the medication can be reused after 35 minutes.
Adverse reactions
To avoid the development of negative reactions of the body to the medication, it is necessary to study the instructions for use of Prednisolone. Intramuscularly, the solution is administered with extreme caution; it is forbidden to exceed the permissible dosage. The main side effects include the following manifestations:
- Circulatory system: increased blood pressure, arrhythmia, bradycardia, thrombosis. In patients with chronic heart disease, myocardial death may occur.
- Digestive tract: pancreatitis, vomiting, internal bleeding, nausea, loss of appetite, damage to liver or stomach tissue.
- Sensory organs: thinning of the cornea, damage to the lens, increased pressure inside the eyeball.
- Skin: the formation of blackheads, thinning and dryness of the epithelium, increased pigmentation.
- Allergy: anaphylactic shock, itching, burning, swelling.
- Metabolism: delayed natural excretion of water and sodium salts from the body, a gradual increase in body weight, loss of valuable potassium salts.
Experienced doctors note that in medical practice, “Prednisolone” is often administered intramuscularly for allergies. Dosage depends on the condition of the patient. But if the procedure was performed incorrectly, then this is fraught with burning, itching, tingling and redness at the injection site.
Consequences of an overdose
If the patient has figured out how to administer Prednisone intramuscularly, then no complications will arise. Exceeding the allowable dosage is fraught with various worsening conditions. In such a situation, the patient needs emergency medical assistance. An overdose can be recognized by an increase in peripheral edema, an increase in blood pressure. It is necessary to call an ambulance team, so that the specialists will wash the stomach and prescribe high-quality drug therapy. At home, you can help the patient only with a plentiful drink.
The use of the medication during pregnancy and lactation
"Prednisolone" can be prescribed to such patients only for serious vital indications. During lactation, it must be borne in mind that the active substance freely passes into breast milk, which is why it is better to abandon breastfeeding and transfer the baby to artificial mixtures during treatment.
Withdrawal syndrome
If the patient will use Prednisolone injections for a long time, then this is fraught with addiction to the body. The medication can adversely affect the work of the adrenal glands of the patient. With a sharp cessation of therapy, the patient may experience acute malaise, high body temperature, as well as increased fatigue. All these symptoms disappear on their own without additional medication. But if the patient has been using an increased dosage of Prednisone for a long time, then a sharp rejection of the drug is fraught with a hypoadrenal crisis. In this state, cramps of the extremities, collapse and vomiting occur. If you do not help a person in a timely manner, then cardiac arrest caused by cardiovascular insufficiency is quite possible.
special instructions
With prolonged use of the medication “Prednisolone”, it is necessary to periodically undergo an examination with an optometrist, donate blood for tests, monitor the condition of the kidneys and liver, and also check the level of blood pressure. The drug should be combined with drugs that reduce the concentration of gastric juice, as well as stick to a protein diet.
"Prednisolone" must be used carefully for those who have suffered a myocardial infarction or microstroke. If infectious diseases have been diagnosed, then additionally take medications that suppress the action of dangerous microorganisms.
Available analogues
If the patient has contraindications for the use of Prednisone injections, then substitutes can be used. Similar drugs with a similar principle of action include:
- "Triamcinolone."
- Betamethasone.
- "Flosteron."
- Kenalog.
- "Hydrocortisone."
- Dexamed.
- "Lemod."
- Metipred.
Terms of sale and storage
Medication can only be bought with a prescription from your doctor. You can store the medicine for a maximum of three years in a dark room at a temperature not exceeding +27 ° C. The average price of Prednisolone in injections varies from 15 to 20 rubles per 1 ampoule. Before use, you need to undergo a full examination and consult with a qualified doctor.