What is Prednisone?
Category: Prescription Drugs
Most popular types: Prednisone Intensol Rayos Deltasone Show all
Prednisone is a synthetic corticosteroid drug that decreases inflammation and suppresses the immune system. It is used for many purposes including relapses in MS, for rheumatic disorders, neoplasms, and collagen diseases. Prednisone is activated by the liver into prednisolone.
| Purpose | Patients | Evaluations | Perceived Effectiveness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Systemic lupus erythematosus | 21122 | 419 | |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | 2388 | 100 | |
| Asthma | 1983 | 197 | |
| Myasthenia gravis | 584 | 41 | |
| Mixed connective tissue disease | 477 | 46 |
- Major
- Moderate
- Slight
- None
- Can't tell
Side effects
Side effects as an overall problem
| Severity | Evaluations | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Severe | 446 | |
| Moderate | 666 | |
| Mild | 487 | |
| None | 402 |
Commonly reported side effects and conditions associated with Prednisone
| Side effect | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Weight gain | 470 | |
| Increased appetite | 116 | |
| Insomnia | 86 | |
| Mood swings | 77 | |
| Moon face | 66 | |
| Facial swelling/puffiness | 59 |
Why patients stopped taking Prednisone
Multiple reasons could be selected
| Reason | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Course of treatment ended | 1242 | |
| Doctor's advice | 529 | |
| Side effects too severe | 400 | |
| Did not seem to work | 172 | |
| Other | 157 | |
| Personal research | 48 | |
| Change in health plan coverage | 13 | |
| Expense | 7 |
Duration
Stopped taking Prednisone
| Duration | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 1 month | 844 | |
| 1 - 6 months | 398 | |
| 6 months - 1 year | 197 | |
| 1 - 2 years | 162 | |
| 2 - 5 years | 165 | |
| 5 - 10 years | 98 | |
| 10 years or more | 116 |
What people switch to and from
Patients started taking Prednisone after stopping:
| Treatment | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) | 26 | |
| Methotrexate (Apo-Methotrexate) | 16 | |
| Methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol Infusion) | 15 | |
| Azathioprine (Imuran) | 7 | |
| Hydrocortisone (Cortef) | 7 |
Patients stopped taking Prednisone and switched to:
| Treatment | Patients | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) | 57 | |
| Methotrexate (Apo-Methotrexate) | 39 | |
| Azathioprine (Imuran) | 22 | |
| Methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol Infusion) | 19 | |
| Mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept) | 17 |
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