A corticosteroid drug. Corticosteroid creams and ointments

Corticosteroids are substances belonging to a subclass of steroid hormones. In this case they are produced not by the sex glands, but solely by the adrenal cortex; Which is why they do not have estrogenic, androgenic or gestagenic activity. Corticosteroid hormones are quite natural for the body substances that perform biochemical processes, regulate the mechanisms of life, support the immune system, take part in carbohydrate, water-salt and protein metabolism. Details of the preparations containing these hormones, what they are and why they are needed will be discussed in our article.

Indication for the use of drugs that contain this type of hormones

The corticosteroid drug, which is more often called simply a steroid, is injected artificially, but it plays the same role as the so-called natural hormone: it provides metabolic processes, restores connective tissue, converts starch into sugar, fights with all kinds of inflammation. Such drugs are often used in the treatment of diseases such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, dysfunction of the kidney and thyroid gland, tendonitis. Corticosteroid creams and ointments are often used in transplantology, because they protect the body from rejection of transplanted organs.

Contraindications to the use of drugs that contain corticosteroid hormones

Side effects when using corticosteroids can be pronounced headaches, pain in the legs or back, dizziness, degeneration of tissues that constantly contact the drug. A corticosteroid drug can be either a glucocorticoid or a mineralocorticoid. It is produced 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 men phimosis are often prescribed as an alternative to surgical intervention, they are also used to treat children (boys). True, such therapy can last long enough, sometimes up to 2-3 months. In this case, the ointment, as a rule, is applied 2 times a day.

Types of corticosteroids

So, what names have corticosteroid drugs? The list is quite extensive, only some of them are presented below. For a start - tablets and capsules:

• "Celeston";
• "Kenalog";
• "Metipred";
• "Kenakort";
• "Polcortolone";
• "Medrol";
• "Urbazon";
• "Prednisolone";
• "Korineff";
• "Florinef" and others.

But the list, including ointments, gels and corticosteroid creams:

• "Diprosalic";
• "Dermozolone";
• "Mesoderm";
• "Kremgen";
• Elokom;
• "Kutiveyt";
• "Betamethasone";
• "Triderm";
• "Flucinar";
• "Triacutan";
• "Gyioxysone";
• "Sinoflan";
• "Dermovayt";
• "Delor" and others.

It should also be noted that often the corticosteroid drug has anti-inflammatory or antiseptic components, as well as antibiotics.

Other corticosteroids are nasal. Detailed list

Nasal preparations of corticosteroid hormones include such medicines, with which they treat chronic rhinitis and suppurative processes occurring 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 multiplying microorganisms dangerous for human health that live on the mucous membranes is reduced. These drugs include:

• Fliksonase;
• "Nazarel";
• "Nasobek";
• "Nazonex";
• "Rinochenylen";
• "Beclomethasone";
• "Tafen Nazal";
• "Aldecin";
• "Avamis" and others.

It is important to note that this form of drugs has much less adverse effects and side effects on the body than injections or tablets.

Corticosteroid preparations for the treatment of bronchi: inhalation

In the treatment of various spastic conditions of the bronchi (mainly bronchial asthma), indispensable preparations 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:

• "Triamcinolone";
• Flunisolide;
• Budesonide;
• "Fluticasone propionate";
• "Benacorte";
• "Clenil";
• "Beklazone";
• "Beclomethasone dipropionate";
• "Becklospier";
• "Budenit";
• "Pulmicort";
• "Bekodisk";
• Depo-Medrol;
• "Diprospan" and some others.

This form of the drug suggests the following options: an emulsion, a ready-made solution, a powder, which must be previously diluted and prepared with an inhaler filler. In this form, the corticosteroid drug does not penetrate into the blood and mucous membranes at all, avoidance of resistance to a specific substance occurs, which does not lead to serious consequences of its use. Simply put, addiction to the drug does not develop or it occurs much later than if the patient had used capsules or injections containing these hormones.

Effects of corticosteroid treatment

If the patient took drugs with the named homon for less than three weeks, then there will be no significant violations in the body. If the use of drugs is carried out more often or more often, then various complications are possible. Therefore, patients are required to have a special card and bracelets on the use of steroids. Side effects with prolonged use of steroids - nausea, anorexia, arthralgia, skin peeling, weight loss, dizziness, drowsiness. In general, these drugs are used to treat a variety of diseases (asthma, psoriasis, polyarthritis and many others), but because they are dangerous for long-term use and have the properties to start irreversible processes in the body, their use without the involvement of a doctor is strongly discouraged. With prolonged therapy with corticosteroids, unwanted side effects can manifest themselves, especially in cases where the recommended dose is greatly exceeded. Therefore, considering all the risks, the doctor must scrupulously calculate how much and exactly what corticosteroid drug is needed for the patient, adequately assess all risks from its use and conduct therapy, not exceeding the average recommended duration of taking these hormones (several weeks).