Prednisolone Tablets (Methylprednisolone)

Adult dosage

1. The initial dosage may vary from 4mg to 48mg per day, as methylprednisolone, depending on the symptoms of the specific disease. Generally, a low dose is sufficient for less severe conditions, although a high initial dose may be required in certain patients. The initial dose should be maintained or adjusted until a satisfactory response is obtained. If a satisfactory clinical result is not achieved after a reasonable period, discontinue treatment and switch to another appropriate therapy. The dose must be determined individually according to the various diseases being treated and the patient's response. After an adequate response is achieved, the 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. Continuous monitoring of the dose is required. Dose adjustment may be necessary in situations such as improvement or worsening of the disease, individual variation in the patient's response to the drug, or the effects on the patient of exposure to stressful circumstances that are not directly related to the symptoms of the disease being treated. In the latter case, it may be necessary to increase the dose for a period sufficient to achieve satisfactory control of the patient's condition. After long-term treatment, gradual dose reduction is recommended when discontinuing the drug. 2. Multiple sclerosis For treatment of acute exacerbations of multiple sclerosis, administration of prednisolone 200mg daily for 1 week, followed by prednisolone 80mg every other day for 1 month, is effective (4mg of methylprednisolone is equivalent to 5mg of prednisolone). 3. ADT (Alternate Day Therapy) Alternate-day therapy is a regimen in which twice the daily dose is administered on one morning out of every two days. Although a single morning dose produces substantially less adrenal suppression than taking prednisolone (10mg) in 4 divided doses every 6 hours, there is evidence that when pharmacologic doses are used, a slight suppressive effect on adrenal activity persists into the following day. In addition, a single dose of any corticosteroid has been shown to suppress the adrenal cortex for 2 days or longer. Other corticosteroids, including methylprednisolone, hydrocortisone, prednisone, and prednisolone, are considered short-acting (a single dose produces adrenal cortical suppression for 1¼ to 1½ days); therefore, alternate-day therapy is recommended. It is important to keep the initial suppressive-dose period as short as possible. The initial suppressive dose is usually given for 4 to 10 days for many allergic and collagen diseases. ① Switch to ADT and gradually reduce the amount of corticosteroid administered on alternate days. ② Reduce the daily corticosteroid dose to the minimum effective level as soon as possible, according to control of disease progression, and then switch to an alternate-day schedule. If difficulties arise, it is preferable to administer 3 or even 4 times the daily dose on alternate days rather than simply twice the daily dose. Once the patient is again controlled, attempt to reduce the dose to the lowest level. If an acute exacerbation occurs during the course of the disease, it may be necessary to return to a fully suppressive corticosteroid dose divided throughout the day to achieve control. Once control is achieved, the established alternate-day regimen may be attempted again.

This medication should not be used in certain patients. For example, individuals with a known allergy or hypersensitivity to this medication or any of its ingredients should not take it. Additionally, this medication is not administered to patients with infections that cannot be treated by antimicrobial agents or systemic fungal infections, as it can suppress immune function and worsen the infection. Patients with herpes simplex, shingles, or chickenpox should also avoid using this medication, and individuals receiving live vaccines or attenuated live vaccines should refrain from taking it. This medication contains lactose; therefore, patients with genetic issues such as galactose intolerance, lactase deficiency, or glucose-galactose malabsorption should not take it. Certain patient populations should use caution when taking this medication. For instance, patients with glaucoma may experience increased intraocular pressure and worsening of their condition, so caution is advised. Patients with tuberculosis, keratitis, electrolyte abnormalities, hypertension, and thrombosis should also be careful when taking this medication as their symptoms may worsen. Furthermore, patients who have recently undergone bowel anastomosis, experienced acute myocardial infarction, have peptic ulcers, mental illness, or osteoporosis may experience worsened conditions when taking this medication, thus should consult with a physician. This medication may raise blood sugar levels in diabetic patients; therefore, careful monitoring of blood sugar control is essential. Side effects may include edema due to fluid retention, hypertension, muscle weakness, osteoporosis, gastrointestinal problems, skin changes, psychological symptoms, and endocrine abnormalities, so symptoms should be carefully monitored. Particularly with long-term use, adrenal insufficiency may arise, and sudden discontinuation of the medication may result in serious symptoms, so the dosage should be gradually reduced. Due to its immune-suppressing effects, there may be an increased susceptibility to infections; thus, precautions against infections should be observed, and care should be taken to avoid exposure to diseases such as chickenpox and measles. This medication may interact with various other drugs; therefore, if you are currently taking any other medications, be sure to inform your doctor or pharmacist. Pregnant or breastfeeding women must consult a physician before using this medication and should weigh the risks against the benefits when necessary. For children, there may be potential side effects such as growth retardation, so it should be administered cautiously at the minimum effective dose, and elderly patients also have a higher risk of side effects, necessitating careful monitoring. Regular check-ups and following the physician's treatment recommendations are essential while taking this medication.

Edema, sodium retention, potassium loss, fluid retention, hypokalemic alkalosis, congestive heart failure, hypertension, myasthenia, aseptic necrosis of the femoral and humeral epiphyses, steroid myopathy, muscle atrophy, pathological fractures of the iliac bone, osteoporosis, vertebral compression fractures, arthralgia, tendon rupture, increased ALT, increased AST, increased ALP, nausea, thirst, vomiting, abdominal pain, anorexia, increased appetite, peptic ulcers, abdominal distention, pancreatitis, esophagitis, diarrhea, delayed wound healing, facial erythema, thin and fragile skin, abnormal sweating, petechiae, ecchymosis, suppression of skin reactions, purpura, acne, hypertrichosis, hair loss, pigmentation, papilledema, increased intracranial pressure, seizures, dizziness, headache, insomnia, euphoria, depression, Cushing's syndrome, menstrual irregularities, pediatric growth inhibition, symptoms of latent diabetes, 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, posterior capsule cataract, secondary infections of the eye, retinal disorders, exophthalmos, negative nitrogen balance, immune system disorders, allergic reactions, shock, urticaria, anaphylactic reactions, hypersensitivity reactions

This medication should be stored in a tightly closed container to protect it from exposure to air or light, and the storage temperature should be maintained between 1°C and 30°C at room temperature. Maintaining the appropriate temperature and container conditions will help preserve the medication's efficacy and safety.

Appearance

White round tablet

Package unit

30 tablets/bottle, 500 tablets/bottle