Medrol Tablets (Methylprednisolone)

Adult dosage

The initial dose may vary from 4mg to 48mg of methylprednisolone per day, depending on the symptoms of the specific disease. In general, a low dose is sufficient for conditions that are not severe, although a high initial dose may be required in certain patients. The initial dose should be maintained or adjusted until a satisfactory response is achieved. The dose must be determined individually according to the various diseases being treated and the patient's response. After an adequate response is achieved, an appropriate maintenance dose should be determined by reducing the initial dose at suitable intervals until the lowest dose that maintains an adequate clinical response is reached. After long-term treatment, gradual dose reduction is recommended when discontinuing the drug. Treatment of acute exacerbations of multiple sclerosis is effective with prednisolone 200mg daily for 1 week, followed by prednisolone 80mg every other day for 1 month (4mg of methylprednisolone is equivalent to 5mg of prednisolone). Alternate-day therapy is a regimen in which twice the daily dose is administered on one morning out of every two days. Although taking the entire dose once in the morning causes considerably less adrenal suppression than taking prednisolone (10mg) divided into 4 doses every 6 hours, there is evidence that, when pharmacologic doses are used, a slight suppressive effect on adrenal activity continues into the following day. The initial suppressive dose should be continued until a satisfactory clinical response is achieved, usually for 4 to 10 days in many allergic and collagen diseases. When switching to ADT, gradually reduce the amount of corticosteroid given on alternate days. As disease control allows, reduce the daily corticosteroid dose to the minimum effective level as soon as possible, and then switch to an alternate-day schedule. If difficulties arise, administering 3 or even 4 times the daily dose on alternate days is preferable to simply doubling the daily dose.

This medication should not be used in certain patients. For example, it should not be administered to individuals who are allergic to this drug or its ingredients, have infections for which there is no suitable antibiotic treatment, or have simple herpes, shingles, or chickenpox. Additionally, patients receiving live vaccines or those with specific genetic problems such as lactose intolerance should not use it. This drug should be used with caution in some patients. Those with a history of glaucoma, tuberculosis, cataracts, hypertension, thrombosis, heart disease, peptic ulcer, psychiatric disorders, osteoporosis, and patients with infections, diabetes, renal failure, hypothyroidism, fatty liver, myasthenia gravis, elderly individuals, epilepsy, and ulcerative colitis require special attention. During treatment with this medication, side effects such as edema, increased blood pressure, muscle weakness, osteoporosis, gastrointestinal disturbances, skin changes, psychiatric symptoms, endocrine abnormalities, and increased intraocular pressure may occur, necessitating careful monitoring. Long-term use may lead to adrenal insufficiency, and sudden discontinuation can be dangerous, requiring gradual dosage reduction. As the resistance to infections decreases, there is an increased risk of contracting chickenpox or measles, so attention must be paid to infection prevention. This drug can interact with various medications, so if taking other drugs, it is crucial to consult with a physician or pharmacist. Special caution is necessary when used in conjunction with heart-related medications, anticoagulants, hypoglycemic agents, diuretics, antibiotics, among others. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding may have an impact on the fetus or newborn from using this medication; therefore, decisions should be made cautiously after consulting a physician, and breastfeeding is advised to be stopped. In children, there may be side effects such as growth retardation, so it should be administered with caution at the minimum effective dose, and symptoms of increased intracranial pressure should be monitored during long-term use. In the elderly, the risk of side effects such as infections, diabetes, osteoporosis, and hypertension is elevated, necessitating special caution during use. When using this medication, it is important to be familiar with these precautions and to promptly consult medical personnel if any unusual symptoms occur.

Edema, sodium retention, potassium loss, fluid retention, hypokalemic alkalosis, congestive heart failure, hypertension, myasthenia, aseptic necrosis of the femoral and humeral epiphyses, steroid myopathy, loss of muscle mass, pathological fractures of the pelvis, osteoporosis, spinal compression fractures, arthralgia, tendon rupture, increased ALT, increased AST, increased ALP, nausea, dry mouth, vomiting, gastric pain, loss of appetite, increased appetite, peptic ulcer, abdominal distension, pancreatitis, esophagitis, diarrhea, delayed wound healing, facial erythema, thin and fragile skin, abnormal sweating, petechiae, purpura, suppression of skin reactions, purpura, acne, hirsutism, hair loss, pigmentation, increased intracranial pressure, papilledema, seizures, dizziness, headache, insomnia, euphoria, depression, Cushing's syndrome, menstrual disturbances, growth suppression in children, symptoms of latent diabetes mellitus, secondary adrenal insufficiency, pituitary unresponsiveness, decreased glucose tolerance, increased requirements for insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents, suppression of adrenocorticotropic hormone secretion, increased intraocular pressure, glaucoma, subcapsular cataract, secondary infections of the eye caused by fungi or viruses, retinal disorders, exophthalmos, negative nitrogen balance due to protein catabolism, immune system disorders, allergic reactions, shock, urticaria, anaphylactic reactions, hypersensitivity reactions

This medication should be stored in a tightly sealed container to protect it from air and moisture exposure. It is recommended to be kept at room temperature, ideally between 1 and 30 degrees Celsius, avoiding extremes of heat or cold.

Appearance

White round tablet

Package unit

30 tablets/bottle, 500 tablets/bottle