What Is Prednisone?

Prednisone belongs to a class of medicines known as corticosteroids. These medications suppress the immune system and prevent the body from releasing substances that trigger inflammation. Prednisone is used in the treatment of conditions such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, severe allergies, arthritis, and breathing difficulties. Most patients take this medication by mouth, and it can be used for short and long-term therapy. Side effects are more likely to occur when prednisone is used for a long time, and taking doses higher than 7.5 milligrams per day could further increase a patient's chances of developing side effects. Since this medication can cause an upset stomach, doctors generally recommend taking it with food or milk, and the tablet form should be consumed with eight ounces of water. Patients who take a single dose of prednisone each day are often advised to take their daily dose before nine in the morning. Doctors may need to adjust a patient's prednisone dose during times when the patient is under significant stress.

The major uses, side effects, and precautions associated with prednisone are outlined below.

How It Works

Prednisone shares similarities with the glucocorticoids that occur naturally within the body. The medication imitates the action of cortisol, one of the corticosteroids produced by the body's adrenal glands. To suppress inflammation, prednisone slows and inhibits the processes responsible for producing inflammation in the body. The drug reduces the pain, redness, and swelling that can occur with inflammation. Prednisone is metabolized by the liver, and it is converted to prednisolone during this process. The medication has a half-life of two to three hours, and it is excreted in the urine after it has been fully metabolized into inactive metabolites and filtered by the kidneys.

Get familiar with the uses for prednisone next.