Medisol Tablet (Methylprednisolone)

Adult dosage

1. 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 less severe conditions, but a high initial dose may be required in certain patients. The initial dose should be maintained or adjusted until a satisfactory response is achieved. If a satisfactory clinical result is not achieved after a reasonable period, discontinue treatment and switch to another appropriate therapy. The dose should be determined individually according to the disease being treated and the patient's response. After an adequate response is achieved, determine the appropriate maintenance dose by reducing the initial dose at appropriate intervals until the lowest dose that maintains an adequate clinical response is reached. Continuous monitoring of the dose is required. Situations that may require dose adjustment include improvement or worsening of the disease, individual patient response to the medicine, and the effect on the patient of exposure to stressful circumstances unrelated to the symptoms of the disease being treated. In the latter case, it may be necessary to increase the dose for a period appropriate to the patient's condition. After long-term treatment, gradual dose reduction is recommended when discontinuing the medicine. 2. Multiple sclerosis For the 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 every other day. Although a single morning dose is associated with considerably less adrenal suppression than taking prednisolone (10mg) in 4 divided doses every 6 hours throughout the day, there is evidence that when pharmacologic doses are used, a slight suppressive effect on adrenal activity continues into the following day. In addition, a single dose of any corticosteroid may 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. 3) ADT may be used initially for less severe diseases for which corticosteroid therapy is indicated. In more serious conditions, a regimen of divided daily doses is usually required initially to control disease progression. The initial suppressive dose must be continued until a satisfactory clinical response is achieved, usually for 4 to 10 days in many allergic and collagen diseases. Once control has been achieved, two options are possible. ① Switch to ADT and gradually reduce the amount of corticosteroid given every other day. 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. 4) Given the advantages of ADT, this form of treatment is desirable for patients who have been taking corticosteroids daily for a long time (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis). Because the HPA axis may already be suppressed in these patients, establishing ADT may be difficult and is not always successful. However, regular attempts to switch are recommended. If this is difficult, it is preferable to administer 3 or even 4 times the daily dose every other day rather than simply doubling the daily dose. Once the patient is again under control, attempt to reduce this dose to the minimum. 6) Maximum adrenal cortical activity occurs from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m., and minimum activity occurs from 4 p.m. to midnight. When administered during the period of maximum activity (morning), exogenous corticosteroids suppress adrenal cortical activity the least. 8) If an acute exacerbation occurs during disease progression, it may be necessary to return to divided daily doses of corticosteroid sufficient to achieve complete suppression for control. Once control is achieved, the established alternate-day regimen may be tried again.

This medication should not be used in patients allergic to this drug or any of its components. In cases of infections or systemic fungal infections, this medication may suppress immune function and worsen infections, so it should not be administered. It should also not be used in patients with viral infections such as herpes simplex, shingles, and chickenpox. Patients receiving live vaccines or attenuated live vaccines should not use this medication concurrently. Patients with lactose intolerance or certain genetic metabolic disorders should avoid this medication due to the lactose content. Patients with glaucoma should use this medication cautiously as it may increase intraocular pressure and worsen symptoms. Individuals with tuberculosis, herpes simplex keratitis, subcapsular cataract, electrolyte imbalances, hypertension, thrombosis, or those who have recently undergone bowel anastomosis surgery should use this medication with caution. Diabetic patients should manage their blood glucose levels as they may experience elevated blood sugar. Patients with osteoporosis, renal failure, congestive heart failure, hypothyroidism, fatty liver, severe myasthenia gravis, elderly patients, those with epilepsy, or ulcerative colitis should use this medication very carefully. This medication may cause various side effects, including edema, increased blood pressure, muscle weakness, osteoporosis, gastrointestinal disorders, skin changes, psychiatric symptoms, endocrine abnormalities, and eye-related issues, so patients should monitor for symptoms closely. If used for an extended period, adrenal function may be suppressed making sudden discontinuation risky; therefore, the dosage should be gradually reduced, and during stressful situations, the dosage may need to be temporarily increased. During treatment, patients may become more susceptible to infections, so preventive measures should be taken, particularly to avoid infections with chickenpox or measles. There are many drug interactions, so if other medications are being taken, they must be disclosed, and it should not be used with medications that may affect cardiac rhythms. Pregnant women or those likely to become pregnant must consult a physician before administration due to potential fetal effects, and it is recommended to avoid using this medication while breastfeeding. In children, there is a risk of growth retardation, hence the minimum effective dose should be used while carefully monitoring growth development. Elderly patients are at a higher risk for side effects and should use this medication more cautiously. Regular check-ups and blood tests during treatment are essential to monitor for side effects.

Edema, sodium retention, potassium loss, fluid retention, hypokalemic alkalosis, congestive heart failure, hypertension, myasthenia, avascular necrosis of femoral and humeral heads, steroid myopathy, muscle wasting, pathologic fractures of the pelvis, osteoporosis, spinal compression fractures, arthralgia, tendon rupture, increased ALT, increased AST, increased ALP, nausea, thirst, 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, alopecia, pigmentation, papilledema, increased intracranial pressure, convulsions, dizziness, headache, insomnia, euphoria, depression, Cushing's syndrome, menstrual irregularities, growth suppression in children, symptoms of latent diabetes mellitus, secondary adrenal insufficiency, pituitary non-responsiveness, decreased glucose tolerance, increased requirements for insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents, suppression of adrenocorticotropic hormone secretion, increased intraocular pressure, glaucoma, posterior subcapsular cataract, secondary eye infections by fungi or viruses, retinal disorders, exophthalmos, negative nitrogen balance due to protein catabolism, immune system disorders, allergic reactions, shock, urticaria, anaphylactic reaction, hypersensitivity reactions

This medication should be stored in a tightly closed container to protect it from air and moisture, and it should be kept at room temperature between 1 and 30 degrees Celsius. This storage method helps maintain the drug's effectiveness and prevents deterioration.

Appearance

White round tablet

Package unit

30 tablets, 300 tablets