Steroids

Prerna Vaswani-Thadani Hi all, could be please discuss the indications of steroids, besides their anti-inflammatory properties.
Is it true that steroids cause an increase in platelet or RBC count?
Also i have seen some use it in the cases of respiratory distress..

22 June at 13:07 · Comment · · Flag

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    Rahima Razak yes. it acn be used or treating respiratory disease. mainly by its action with decreasing the products of inflammation like prostaglandins and leukotriens

    22 June at 20:28 ·
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    Gautam Unny yes we do use steroids to increases platelets in cases where the platelets are low and the tlc is not too high. in resp cases i prefer to use steroids as nebulisers as they are more effective and less harmful.

    23 June at 17:09 ·
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    Rajshankar Tony Sarma

    Indications of steroids? Old (human) medical adage:
    
    "No patient should die before first feeling the benefits of steroids". ;o)
    
    One important bugbear of mine - steroids are frequently misused in spinal trauma. Let me make this very clear - there is NO role for steroids in the vast majority of spinal cases. Even the methyl-prednisolone sodium succinate dose rates were based on extrapolation rather than evidence (and it was always stressed that the benefit was from a free-radical scavenging effect, rather than a steroid-effect).

    24 June at 07:16 ·
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    Rajshankar Tony Sarma

    Remember, steroid properties vary with dose. So, to block cytochrome p450 and increase bioavailability of a drug like cyclosporin, use a dose of 0.1mg/kg SID. For routine anti-inflammatory purposes, or itchy skin, 0.5mg/kg SID. By 1mg/kg SI...See more

    24 June at 07:24 ·
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    Gautam Unny whenever possible cover a steroid therapy course with antibiotics esp if used in higher doses. also one should remember to taper them in long term courses.

    24 June at 14:50 ·
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    Rajshankar Tony Sarma

    I basically agree with Gautam - but at lower doses (0.5mg/kg) particularly for shorter periods, I don't routinely use antibiosis and don't think they are always necessary.
    
    On the other hand, tapering doses is an important concept - steroids ...See more

    24 June at 14:55 ·