Medical Use of Steroids
Steroids remain a hot topic when it comes to drug abuse discussions. Several reports have highlighted the risks of steroids abuse, and somehow you will wonder why the compounds have been developed in the first place if they have the tendency to become harmful.
Initially, steroids were developed to treat hypogonadism, a condition wherein the sex glands produce little or no hormones. The two main groups of natural steroids are anabolic steroids and corticosteroids. Anabolic steroids are occasionally used to treat delayed puberty in adolescents, certain forms of breast cancer, osteoporosis, endometriosis, and hereditary angiodema – a swelling disorder. Meanwhile, corticosteroids have been used to treat a variety of conditions, such as eczema, asthma, and arthritis. Additionally, steroids help patient with muscle wasting diseases. Yet, even therapeutic steroids users go through steroid testing at one point or another to make sure that their dosage is still within the right limits. However, for those people who are using steroids without prescription, the need for steroid confirm is even more important as means of preventive measures.
There are many types of steroids that are now available commercially. Some steroids involve topical administration, such as in the case of cream, lotion, and ointment; other kinds of steroids are administered by injection. Below are a few steroids that are medically proven to be effective. Their use requires doctor’s prescription and supervision to ensure that correct dosage are given to the patient.
Prednisone
Prednisone is a type of corticosteroids that is used to treat different conditions such as allergic disorders, skin conditions, ulcerative colitis, arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, or breathing disorders (asthma). If you are allergic to prednisone or have fungal infection you should not take the drug.
Furthermore, you must immediately inform your physician if you are suffering from kidney disease, liver disease, thyroid disorder, diabetes, osteoporosis, tuberculosis, depression, high blood pressure, or stomach ulcers, just to make sure that you can safely take the drug.
The dosage for taking Prednisone may vary by condition. You should only take the prescribed dosage and follow the directions provided by your doctor.
Prednisone can weaken your immune system, making you more vulnerable to contact infection. Some dangerous side effects associated with Prednisone include vomiting blood, black stools or severe mood distortion.
Fludrocortisone
Fludrocortisone is given to patients suffering from Addison’s disease and congenital adrenal hyperplasia (also known as salt-losing adrenogenital syndrome). This drug is available only with a doctor’s prescription.
Before taking Fludrocortison, you must notify your physician if you are pregnant, have allergies or any other diseases that may interfere with using the drug. Like other medicines, prolonged or inappropriate use of Fludrocortison may cause unwanted side effects, such as mood changes, weight gain, belly pain, weak bones, muscle weakness, blurred vision, dry mouth, and chest pain.
Inhaled Steroids
Asthma can affect both children and adults. When not treated, the condition can be life threatening. Inhaled steroids come in three forms: the metered dose inhaler (MDI), dry powder inhaler (DPI), and nebulizer solutions. Among the inhaled steroids medications that doctors prescribe for better management of asthma are:
- Advair (a combination drug that includes a steroid plus a long-acting bronchodilator drug)
- Aerobid
- Asmanex
- Azmacort
- Dulera (a combination drug that also includes a long-acting bronchodilator drug)
- Flovent
- Pulmicort
- Symbicort (a combination drug that includes a steroid plus a long acting bronchodilator drug)
- Qvar
Medical uses of steroids are varied and only the professional health care providers are well equipped to identify which steroids are suitable for a certain patient. It is not advisable for anyone to use steroids unless with a doctor’s prescription and supervision. Unfortunately, the abuse of steroids in professional sports has overshadowed the positive impact of steroids use in the medical field. Most steroids abusers do not fully understand the risks of steroids until later on in their life, when side effects are starting to appear. If you want to know whether or not your teenager is using steroid, you can introduce the use of a steroid urine test kit at home to discourage the use of performance-enhancing drugs in
