Prednisone
Prednisone Prescribing Information
Prednisone tablets are indicated in the following conditions:
Gastric irritation may be reduced if taken before, during, or immediately after meals or with food or milk.
The maximal activity of the adrenal cortex is between 2 am and 8 am, and it is minimal between 4 pm and midnight. Exogenous corticosteroids suppress adrenocorticoid activity the least when given at the time of maximal activity (am) for single dose administration. Therefore, it is recommended that prednisone be administered in the morning prior to 9 am and when large doses are given, administration of antacids between meals to help prevent peptic ulcers. Multiple dose therapy should be evenly distributed in evenly spaced intervals throughout the day.
Dietary salt restriction may be advisable in patients.
Do not stop taking this medicine without first talking to your doctor. Avoid abrupt withdraw of therapy.
The initial dosage of prednisone may vary from 5 mg to 60 mg per day, depending on the specific disease entity being treated. In situations of less severity lower doses will generally suffice, while in selected patients higher initial doses may be required. The initial dosage should be maintained or adjusted until a satisfactory response is noted. If after a reasonable period of time there is a lack of satisfactory clinical response, prednisone should be discontinued and the patient transferred to other appropriate therapy.
Prednisone tablets are contraindicated in systemic fungal infections and known hypersensitivity to components.
The following adverse reactions have been reported with prednisone or other corticosteroids:
When corticosteroids are administered concomitantly with potassium-depleting agents (e.g.,
Each tablet for oral administration contains:
Prednisone, USP.................................................5 mg, 10 mg and 20 mg
Prednisone tablets, USP of 5 mg and 10 mg strengths contain anhydrous lactose, colloidal silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium starch glycolate, and talc.
Prednisone tablets of 20 mg strength contain anhydrous lactose, D&C Yellow No. 10 Aluminum Lake, FD&C Yellow No. 6 Aluminum Lake, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose and sodium starch glycolate.
Prednisone tablets contain prednisone which is a glucocorticoid. Glucocorticoids are adrenocortical steroids, both naturally occurring and synthetic, which are readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. The chemical name for prednisone is pregna-1,4-diene-3,11,20-trione monohydrate,17,21-dihydroxy-. The structural formula is represented below:
Prednisone, USP is a white to practically white, odorless, crystalline powder. It is very slightly soluble in water; slightly soluble in alcohol, chloroform, dioxane, and methanol.