What is a prednisone in medical terms?
Medical Definition of prednisone : a glucocorticoid C21H26O5 that is a dehydrogenated analog of cortisone and is used as an anti-inflammatory agent, as an antineoplastic agent, and as an immunosuppressant.
What does prednisone do to your system?
Steroid drugs, such as prednisone, work by lowering the activity of the immune system. The immune system is your body’s defense system. Steroids work by slowing your body’s response to disease or injury. Prednisone can help lower certain immune-related symptoms, including inflammation and swelling.
How long does prednisone stay in the body?
It takes about seven half-lives for a drug to leave the body. So based on a half-life time of 2 to 3 hours, it would take 14 to 21 hours for prednisone to leave the body. This is just an average and may be different depending on a person’s age, weight and general health.
Can prednisone cause tightness in the chest?
Prednisone can cause allergic reactions (chest tightness, trouble breathing, rash, itching, facial swelling, hives or swelling in the mouth or throat), which warrant immediate medical attention.
How do steroids suppress the immune system?
Steroids reduce the production of chemicals that cause inflammation. This helps keep tissue damage as low as possible. Steroids also reduce the activity of the immune system by affecting the way white blood cells work.
What is the role of prednisone in the body?
It has a role as a prodrug, an anti-inflammatory drug, an antineoplastic agent, an immunosuppressive agent and an adrenergic agent. It is a 20-oxo steroid, an 11-oxo steroid, a 21-hydroxy steroid, a 17alpha-hydroxy steroid, a glucocorticoid, a 3-oxo-Delta (1),Delta (4)-steroid, a primary alpha-hydroxy ketone and a tertiary alpha-hydroxy ketone.
What happens when you take prednisone for a few weeks?
If you take prednisone for more than a few weeks, your adrenal glands decrease cortisol production. A gradual reduction in prednisone dosage gives your adrenal glands time to resume their normal function.
What is the after taste of prednisone?
IDENTIFICATION AND USE: Prednisone is white crystalline powder with a persistent bitter after-taste. It is glucocorticoid, anti-inflammatory agent and antineoplastic agent. HUMAN EXPOSURE AND TOXICITY: Prednisone causes profound and varied metabolic effects when used at therapeutic doses, given on a continuous basis.
How is Prednisone used in the treatment of arthritis?
Prednisone is a synthetic steroid with potent anti-inflammatory effects that is used to treat inflammatory types of arthritis and other conditions. 1 Like other corticosteroids, prednisone works by lowering the activity of the immune system.