What is considered a high dose of Prednisone?

Prednisone is a corticosteroid drug. This med is known to reduce internal swelling, by keeping your immunity cells under control i.e., this med ensures immunity-cells do not react excessively. This medication is administered for a wide range of conditions including allergies, skin problems, a few autoimmune problems like arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases such as bronchial asthma, etc. But what is considered a high dose of Prednisone? It pays to have more details.

Doctors recommend a few types of steroidal meds for treating allergies, skin conditions and a few autoimmune problems like rheumatoid arthritis. Of such steroidal meds, glucocorticoids can treat painful conditions like arthritis which affects ligaments, tendons and joints – including your muscles and bones.

What is prednisone?

Prednisone is one of the popular medications used for streamlining the responses of your immune system as well as to regulate metabolic rate of your system.

Prednisone received its patent in the mid-1950s; the FDA approved it for public use soon after this. Today, prednisone is listed as one of the essential meds. The good thing is – it is now available as a generic drug – at much lesser cost than its branded equivalent(s). As per latest counts, it is among the top-50 highly prescribed meds in US, with annual count of prescriptions crossing 20 million each year.

Prednisone is a lab-made version of glucocorticoid. Is used for its immunosuppression capabilities as well as anti-inflammatory properties. This steroidal med is really absorbed onto your gastric system. It has a half-life of about 2.5 hours. Hence within a timeline of 15 to 16 hours, you can get rid of most of its traces from your body.

What is considered a high dose of Prednisone?

The dosage strength of prednisone – for adults, for treating allergies – ranges from 5 to 60 mg within a 24-hour timeline. Your caregiver may alter the strength based on how your system responds to the first few doses. The delayed release version of prednisone takes more than 180 minutes – from the time of dosing – to start releasing active ingredients.

In case of long-term medication plans, alternate-day dosing is followed. However, if pains turn acute –  doses are administered on a daily basis. Dosing about more than 40 mg within 24 hours is considered an overdose by some caregivers.

5-day prednisone dosage A typical 5-day prednisone dosage may start at 40 mg on day 1, then taper to 30 mg on day 2, 20 mg on day 3, 10 mg on day 4, and 5 mg on day 5. This short taper helps reduce inflammation while minimizing withdrawal symptoms. Always follow your doctor’s instructions for dosage and timing.

In most cases, dosages of 5 to 10 mg are taken as a low dose; those between 10 to 35 mg are considered medium while 35 to 60 mg within a day are high doses. It is likely doses stronger than 60 mg are administered through the intravenous routes (IV). But such high doses are offered for a very short duration.

Most importantly, caregivers try to minimise the dosage strength of Prednisone as much as possible, and also reduce duration of medication plans to the lowest possible timeline.

Safe practices relating to the use of Prednisone

If regular doses of Prednisone are not yielding needful remedies, the medication plan is discontinued as soon as you possibly can. It becomes essential to update your physician of progress you make. At high doses, Prednisone may cause retention of fluids resulting in swelling of toes and fingers; extreme levels of weakness; bone conditions like osteoporosis or fracturing; onset of ulcers in your tummy, and a slowdown in healing rates of wounds.

It is likely a few signs related to central nervous system – CNS – may also show up. These include dizziness, being sleepless, migraines, mood shifts – including depression, changes in your personality, etc. Upon spotting such changes, rush to your caregiving team or seek help from a local healthcare setting.

Your doctor needs to be updated of already-existing liver conditions like cirrhosis; a drop in filtration rates of kidneys; ulcers and / or hypertension. Those who underwent a surgery in their intestinal tract must keep their physician(s) updated of such interventions. Lastly, tell your physician of bone problems like osteoporosis.

Disclaimer

Information provided here are only of supplementary nature. Information shared here does not substitute a qualified doctor’s advice. This website is not suggesting intake of this drug as safe or appropriate. Hence it is advised to talk to your doctor before consuming this med or any other drug.