PRESCRIPTION STEROIDS

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WHAT ARE STEROIDS?
STEROID is the Greek word for HORMONE. Some steroids occur naturally in the body, such as cortisol, sex hormones, bile acids. Cortisol is essential for all life. There are many kinds of steroids, Cortico, Glutico, Sex Hormones and Anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroids are illegal. When synthetic steroid hormones are prescribed and used correctly, their side-effects can be greatly reduced. But when safeguards are ignored, lives are devastated.


WHO USES STEROIDS?
You could be using steroids and not even know it. Steroids come in various forms: shot, pill, bronchial inhalers, nasal sprays, skin creams. Steroid therapy is used for many illnesses: Ulcerative Colitis, Lupus, Severe Asthma, Rheumatic fever, Organ transplants, Allergies are only a few. Alternate-day corticosteroid therapy is less likely to produce the serious complications of daily steroid use. A gradual withdrawal is crucial when stopping prolonged steroid therapy.


WHAT YOU SHOULD DO
1. ASK your doctor/pharmacist if your shots or prescriptions contain steroids
2. READ ALL pharmacy labeling
3. Read and Follow All manufacturers' recommendations for PRECAUTIONS and TESTING. MAKE SURE your doctor is following them too.
4. TELL your doctor about any symptoms that occur during or after steroid therapy.
5. PUBLIC and PHYSICIAN EDUCATION concerning the adverse effects of steroids; and emphasis on and adherence to manufacturers' precautions.


STEROID USE IN GENERAL
All prescriptions steroids should be prescribed in the smallest dosage first. The results may take longer but the side-effects will be lessened. Potent steroids should be used only as a last resort.


TOPICAL CORTICOSTEROID TIPS

Apply the steroid to your skin lesion sparingly in a thin film with your fingertip. Always know the potency of your medication. Steroids range from mild to very potent.

Never use someone else's steroid prescription.

Use only on areas recommended by your doctor. For example, do not apply a steroid intended for your arm on your face or groin area.

Do not use topical steroids after the psoriasis or lesion has cleared; the medication can thin out the skin. (Children may absorb proportionally larger amounts of corticosteroids and thus be more susceptible to systemic toxicity.)

To reduce side-effects of topical corticosteroids used on the face, physicians need to avoid long-term prescriptions and shun super potent agents entirely for this area.

REMINDER: Some parts of the body absorb more than others:
-- Forearm absorbs 1%
-- Armpit absorbs 4%
-- Face absorbs 7%
-- Eyelids and Genital absorb 30%
-- Sole absorb 0.05%

The risk of topical steroid side-effects depends on the strength of the steroid, the length of application, the site treated and the nature of the skin problem. Generally only apply once or twice daily.


Problems and Solutions
Since medications containing steroids can be prescribed to most everyone, there is a broad interest and a need to know about the dangers of steroid prescriptions. These complex problems have relatively simple solutions.

Problems Related to Prescription Steroids

Over-administering, prescribing and overuse of prescription steroids Failure of many physicians and pharmacists to inform patients/consumers

Failure of many physicians to follow manufacturers' recommendations

Inadequate manufacturers' and Pharmacies' labeling

Emotional And Physiological Addiction to Steroids

Serious and often fatal side effects



Problems Related to Over-the-Counter Products Containing Steroid ingredients

Easy access available to consumer on demand Lack of steroid manufacturers' labeling

No physician supervision

Repeated and prolonged usage

Emotional and physiological addiction to steroids

Serious and sometimes fatal side-effects


Solutions to the Problems

Passage of Federal regulations in the manufacturers' and pharmacies' LABELING of products containing steroid ingredients to specify "STEROID." Promotion of physician and public AWARENESS through physician education concerning the adverse affects of steroids; and emphasis on and adherence to manufacturers' recommendations for PRECAUTIONS and TESTING with regard to individual products.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Pivalate and Budesonide Screening patches that can identify more than 80% of cases of steroid hypersensitivity.

Physicians need to keep an accurate and current prescription record, including all physician-approved refills

The percentage of each steroid contained in products needs to be listed on the manufacturers' labeling.