Dexamethasone

Pronunciation

Dexamethasone 0.5mg

Introduction

Dexamethasone is a steroid with anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant effects. It is used to treat a wide range of inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.

Indications include:

• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Asthma
• Croup in children
• dermatitis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Cerebral oedema associated with malignancy
• Counteract nausea and vomiting effects of cancer chemotherapy
• Administered before antibiotics in cases of baceterial meningitis. It reduces the inflammatory response, thus reducing hearing loss and neurological damage.
• High-attitude cerebral edema (HACE) and high-attitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), help climbers to cope with complications of high-attitude sickness

Equivalent anti-inflammatory doses of steroids

Prednisolone 5 mg is equivalent to	Betamethasone 750 micrograms
	dexamethasone 750 micrograms
	hydrocortisone 20 mg
	methylprednisolone 4 mg
	triamcinolone 4 mg

Mechanism of Action

Immunosuppression agent, Steroid replacement agent, Anti-inflammatory agent

Generic Name 藥名	HA Code 藥物代碼	Classification藥物分類
Dexamethasone Tablet 0.5 mg	DEXA01	P1S1S3
Dexamethasone Tablet 4 mg	DEXA19	P1S1S3
Dexamethasone 0.1% + Chloramphenicol 0.5% Eye Drops 5ml	DEXA16	P1S1S3
Dexamethasone 0.1% + Neomycin 0.5% Eye Drops 10ml	DEXA04	P1S1S3