Most adverse reactions to corticosteroids are dose or duration dependent.
CNS: euphoria, insomnia, psychotic behavior, pseudotumor cerebri, vertigo, headache, pares-thesia, seizures.
CV: heart failure, hypertension, edema, ar-rhythmias, thrombophlebitis, thromboem. bolism.
EENT: cataracts, glaucoma.
Endocrine: menstrual irregularities, cushingoid state (moonface, buffalo hump, central obesity).
GI: peptic ulceration, GI irritation, increased ap-petite, pancreatitis, nausea, vomiting.
Skin: delayed wound healing, acne, various skin eruptions.
Other: muscle weakness, osteoporosis, hirsutism, susceptibility to infections; hypokalemia, hyper-glycemia, and carbohydrate intolerance; increased thyroxine, and triiodothyronine levels growth sup-pression in children; acute adrenal insufficien-cy may follow increased stress (infection, surgery, or trauma) or abrupt withdrawal af-ter long-term therapy.
After abrupt withdrawal: rebound inflam-mation, fatigue, weakness, arthralgla, fever, dizzi-ness, lethargy, depression, fainting, orthostatic hypotension, dyspnea, anorexia, hypoglycemia. After prolonged use, sudden withdrawal may be fatal. |