Drug Groups

approved; investigational

Description

An anti-inflammatory 9-fluoro-glucocorticoid. [PubChem]

Indication

Injection: for the treatment of endocrine disorders, rheumatic D=disorders, collagen diseases, dermatologic diseases, allergic statesc, ophthalmic diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, respiratory diseases, hematologic disorders, neoplastic diseases, edematous states, cerebral edema.

Ophthalmic ointment and solution: for the treatment of steroid responsive inflammatory conditions of the palpebral and bulbar conjunctiva, cornea, and anterior segment of the globe.

Ophthalmic solution only: for the treatment of steroid responsive inflammatory conditions of the external auditory meatus

Topic cream: for relief of the inflammatory and pruritic manifestations of corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses

Oral aerosol: for the treatment of bronchial asthma and related corticosteroid responsive bronchospastic states intractable to adequate trial of conventional therapy

Intranasal aerosol: for the treatment of allergic ot inflammatory nasal conditions, and nasal polyps

Pharmacology

Dexamethasone and its derivatives, dexamethasone sodium phosphate and dexamethasone acetate, are synthetic glucocorticoids. Used for its antiinflammatory or immunosuppressive properties and ability to penetrate the CNS, dexamethasone is used alone to manage cerebral edema and with tobramycin to treat corticosteroid-responsive inflammatory ocular conditions.

Toxicity

Oral, rat LD₅₀: >3 gm/kg. Signs of overdose include retinal toxicity, glaucoma, subcapsular cataract, gastrointestinal bleeding, pancreatitis, aseptic bone necrosis, osteoporosis, myopathies, obesity, edemas, hypertension, proteinuria, diabetes, sleep disturbances, psychiatric syndromes, delayed wound healing, atrophy and fragility of the skin, ecchymosis, and pseudotumor cerebri.

Affected Organisms

Biotransformation

Hepatic.

Absorption

80-90%

Half Life

36-54 hours

Protein Binding

70%

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