Prednisone

Prednisone is a drug with multiple uses. Although prednisone was invented in 1950, it became a widely used drug in the 1960s. It is a drug that comes under the category of synthetic corticosteroids. Its main use is as an immunosuppressant and it has the capability to affect almost the entire immune system. It is used to treat low corticosteroid levels. It can be used either alone or in combination with some of the other drugs. It is widely used for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and inflammatory diseases such as asthma, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and allergy. It is also used to treat various kidney diseases such as nephritic syndrome. It is an important drug while carrying out organ transplantation for preventing and treating rejection. It can also be used for treating migraine headaches and cluster headaches. An important side effect of the drug is that it may reduce the sex drive. Prednisone can be administered both orally and through intravenous injection. In some occasions, prednisone is used to treat pneumonia associated with AIDS. It has also been used for an entirely different purpose. That is, in pharmaceutical industry, it is used for calibrating the dissolution testing equipment.

People allergic to prednisone should never take the drug. One should tell the doctor about all other medications he or she is taking, so that the doctor can safely prescribe the medicine without the fear of any complications. It is because of the immunosuppressant property of the drug. The immune system of the body stops functioning in full vigil once this drug is administered. Also one should be careful not to stop prednisone rather abruptly. Otherwise one may suffer withdrawal symptoms. The glucose level of the blood increases when taking prednisone. Insomnia and euphoria can happen as immediate side reactions to the person taking this drug.