Health Encyclopedia

Corticosteroids overdose

Definition

This article discusses poisoning from an overdose of corticosteroids, a type of anti-inflammatory medicine.

Poisonous Ingredient

Alclometasone dipropionate
Amcinonide
Augmented betamethasone dipropionate
Beclomethasone dipropionate
Betamethasone
Betamethasone benzoate
Betamethasone dipropionate
Betamethasone sodium phosphate
Betamethasone valerate
Clobetasol propionate
Clocortolone pivalate
Cortisone
Desonide
Desoximetasone
Dexamethasone
Dexamethasone acetate
Dexamethasone sodium phosphate
Diflorasone acetonide
Diflorasone diacetate
Flunisolide
Fluocinolone acetonide
Fluocinonide
Fluocinolone acetonide
Flurandrenolide
Fluticasone propionate
Halcinonide
Halobetasol propionate
Hydrocortisone
Hydrocortisone acetate
Hydrocortisone butyrate
Hydrocortisone sodium phosphate
Hydrocortisone valerate
Methylprednisolone
Methylprednisolone acetate
Methylprednisolone sodium succinate
Mometasone furoate
Prednisolone acetate
Prednisolone sodium phosphate
Prednisolone tebutate
Prednisone
Triamcinolone
Triamcinolone acetonide
Triamcinolone diacetate
Triamcinolone hexacetonide

Note: This list may not be all inclusive.

Where Found

Alclometasone dipropionate (Delonal)
Augmented betamethasone dipropionate (Deprolene)
Beclomethasone dipropionate (Diprosone)
Betamethasone sodium phosphate (Celestone)
Betamethasone valerate (Valisone)
Clobetasol propionate (Temovate)
Clocortolone pivalate (Cloderm)
Desonide (DesOwen, Tridesilon)
Desoximetasone (Topicort)
Dexamethasone (Decadron)
Fluocinonide (Lidex)
Flunisolide (AeroBid)
Fluocinolone acetonide (Synalar)
Flurandrenolide (Cordran)
Fluticasone propionate (Cutivate)
Halcinonide (Halog)
Hydrocortisone (Cortef)
Hydrocortisone sodium phosphate (Solu-Cortef)
Hydrocortisone valerate (Westcort)
Methylprednisolone (Medrol)
Methylprednisolone sodium succinate (Solu-Medrol)
Mometasone furoate (Elocon)
Prednisolone sodium phosphate (Pred Fonte)
Prednisone (Deltasone)
Triamcinolone acetonide (Aristocort)

Note: This list may not be all inclusive.

Symptoms

Swelling in lower legs, ankles, or feet
Nervousness
Sleepiness
Depression
Discontinuation of the menstrual cycles
Weakness
Worsening of disease state such as ulcers, diabetes
Deafness
Itching skin
Burning skin
Dry skin
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Convulsions
Muscle weakness
Psychosis

Before Calling Emergency

Determine the following information:

The patient's age, weight, and condition
The name of the product (ingredients and strengths if known)
When it was swallowed
The amount swallowed

Poison Control, or a local emergency number

The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can be called from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the U.S. use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.

See: National Poison Control center.

What to expect at the emergency room

Some or all of the following procedures may be performed:

Treatment of symptoms
Pumping the stomach (gastric lavage)
Giving activated charcoal
Monitoring vital signs ( including blood pressure and pulse)

Expectations (prognosis)

One-time ingestion of a corticosteroid product is usually benign, requiring no therapy. Most symptoms are associated with long-term therapeutic use of these drugs.

Review Date:10/31/2006
Reviewed By:Eric Perez, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

ADAM Quality A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) and this website do not claim the information on, or referred to by, this site is error free. This site may include links to websites of other government agencies or private groups. Our Agency and this website do not control such sites and are not responsible for their content. Reference to or links to any other group, product, service, or information does not mean our Agency or this website approves of that group, product, service, or information.

Additionally, while health information provided through this website may be a valuable resource for the public, it is not designed to offer medical advice. Talk with your doctor about medical care questions you may have.